Hopkin: David

2004-2004 (Player Details)

Midfield

Born: Greenock: 21-08-1970

Debut: Arsenal (h): 09-08-1997

6’0” 13st (2003)

Ginger-haired Hopkins started with Port of Glasgow Boys Club before joining his hometown team Morton in July 1989. He had a trial with Sheffield United in 1991 but after scoring seven goals in fifty-two games, he left Morton for Chelsea at a fee of £300,000 in September 1992. In almost three years at Stamford Bridge he scored once in forty-six appearances without really establishing himself in the first team. Conspicuous by his tattoos and shock of red hair, Hopkin made an impressive debut in a 0-0 draw with Liverpool in February 1992, one of few impressive performers in a truly dire match. Not surprisingly he kept his place for the following weekend's visit of Aston Villa but Chelsea lost, manager Ian Porterfield was sacked and his caretaker replacement, David Webb, surprisingly opted to replace him with the woefully out-of-form Robert Fleck on the right wing, selecting Hopkin for just two substitute appearances in the final three months of the season. He fared little better under new manager Glenn Hoddle when the former England man took over that summer, not helped by the fact that Hoddle preferred a three-five-two formation with the full backs pushed on as wing-backs. Hopkin was given his first opportunity to impress when he replaced the suspended Dennis Wise for a trip to Aston Villa but was immediately dropped after a 1-0 defeat that continued a disappointing start to what was a poor league campaign. He was given further opportunities either side of Christmas but, in line with the vast majority of the team, he was regularly out-of-sorts and only rarely showed glimpses of what he was capable of. Perhaps his most significant moment in a Chelsea shirt came when he crossed for Gavin Peacock to score the goal against Wolves which took Chelsea into their first FA Cup semi-final for twenty-four years but by the time the final came around, David was on the sidelines. There was little change in his fortunes the following season. Hoddle signed David Rocastle just prior to the start of the season, putting another obstacle in Hoppy's way, and it wasn't until late October that he resurfaced in the first-team. There was further frustration in the fact that a FIFA ruling meant that he was considered a foreign player and he was therefore not selected for any of Chelsea's European Cup Winners Cup matches as the Blues made it to the semi-finals. He did, however, benefit in part from the European run as he found himself being recalled to the squad for the weekend matches following the European ties as Hoddle looked to rest players. He scored his only goal for the club with a header in a 3-3 draw at Everton in May but it was little more than a swansong. Sporadic appearances were barely adequate for a man who had travelled south in the hope of making a name for himself and he played his last game for the club in a 2-1 victory over Arsenal on the final day of the season before joining Crystal Palace in July 1995 for £850, 000 and going on to perform well at the highest level for both them. He starred on the Eagles' right-flank for two seasons in the mid 1990s making an important contribution to Palace's progress. Strong running and possessing a prodigious long throw-in, David was a huge asset to the club's cause and had a flair for scoring spectacular goals. This talent was never better demonstrated than in the 1997 play-offs. For the second year in a row Palace only needed a win at Wembley to win promotion to the Premiership and David produced a fantastic moment in Palace history that supporters will always remember him for. With the match against Sheffield United scoreless and with only a minute to go until full-time Palace won a corner that was headed clear to David twenty yards from goal. He controlled the ball with his left foot before curling an unstoppable shot past Simon Tracey in the Blades goal much to the delight of the 30,000 or so Eagles fans present. David won the club “Player of the Year” and was awarded full international honours for Scotland in 1997 but to the disappointment of everybody at Selhurst Park he moved to Leeds United in July 1997 for a fee of £3.25million. He had scored twenty-nine goals in ninety-six appearances in his first spell with Palace. Hopkin was a key part of Leeds hopes and plans for the future under George Graham. He knew how to find the goal as well as being a dominating force in the middle of the park. There was also a strong expectation from the fans, who had seen him outplay Lee Bowyer when the two clubs had met in the League Cup in the previous season. With strong competition for the midfield places, and with George Graham occasionally playing tactics that completely bypass the middle of the park, Hopkin did not figured as strongly as he would have hoped in 1997-98 season, missing a couple of games through illness and suspension and being often being replaced by substitutes later in the game. In 1998-99, he became a regular in the starting line-up, but there was still stiff competition for places and continued speculation about signings. His scoring record dropped off somewhat and though he had an excellent rate at Palace, it was a lot less prolific for Leeds. Under David O'Leary, he was in and out of the midfield at the start of the 1999-2000 season before an operation which kept him out for nearly two months. The fact that he could barely make it onto the bench when he returned, even with David Batty absent, told him he was no really part of O’Leary’s plans, and after talk about a move away from Elland Road in July 2000 he went to Bradford City for £2.5million. Injury ravaged his time at Valley Parade and he only played sixteen games without scoring, and in March 2001 he returned to London, for £1.5million, to help keep Crystal Palace in Division One. He returned to something of his old self, albeit in a lower division. His form was one of the major factors in the club avoiding relegation to the Second Division that season. After scoring four times in thirty-one games in his second spell at the club, he was released by Palace in August 2002 and returned to Morton on a free transfer. After scoring twice in seven appearances, he retired in November 2002 due to a recurring ankle injury. Hopkin and Derek Collins had a brief spell as joint caretaker manager at Morton when they occupied the dugout for a match against Albion Rovers. Hopkin made one substitute appearance in October 2003 but it was his last. He became Assistant Manager at Port Glasgow FC. He owned the Gift Box Newsagents in Greenock and did a bit of coaching at Port Glasgow Boys Club. Hopkin won seven caps for Scotland and scored twice, he also played for Scotland “B” once.