Colin Harper (footballer)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Colin George Harper | ||
| Date of birth | 25 July 1946 | ||
| Place of birth | Ipswich, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||
| Playing position | Left-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1964–1966 | Ipswich Town | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1966–1977 | Ipswich Town | 148 | (5) |
| 1976 | → Grimsby Town (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 1977 | → Cambridge United (loan) | 15 | (0) |
| 1977–1978 | Port Vale | 4 | (0) |
| 1978 | Waterford | ||
| 1980–1981 | Chelmsford City | ||
| Sudbury Town | |||
| Total | 167+ | (5+) | |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1977 | Port Vale (caretaker) | ||
| 1978 | Waterford | ||
| 1980–1981 | Chelmsford City | ||
| Sudbury Town | |||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Colin Harper (born 25 July 1946) is an English former footballer who played as a left-back. He made 167 league appearances in a 12-year career in the Football League.
He spent 1966 to 1977 at Ipswich Town, helping the club to win the Second Division title in 1967–68 and then to go on to compete in Europe under Bobby Robson. In 1976–77 he played on loan at Grimsby Town and Cambridge United, helping Ron Atkinson's Cambridge to the Fourth Division title. He became player-manager for brief spells at Port Vale, Waterford (Ireland), Chelmsford City, Sudbury Town, and Chelmsford City, before entering the building trade.
Harper started his career at Ipswich Town, who were struggling in the Second Division in 1965–66. He turned professional under manager Bill McGarry, and helped the "Blues" to rise to fifth in 1966–67, before finishing top of the division in 1967–68. They retained their First Division status in 1968–69, after Bobby Robson was appointed as manager. Ipswich hovered above the relegation places in 1969–70 and 1970–71, before rising to 13th in 1971–72 and then fourth in 1972–73 and 1973–74. Their fourth-place finishes entitled them to compete in the UEFA Cup. The "Tractor Boys" posted a third-place finish in 1974–75, and were just two points behind champions Derby County. They dropped to sixth in 1975–76, before rising again to third place in 1976–77, five points behind champions Liverpool. Harper had loan spells in 1976–77, playing three Third Division games for relegated Grimsby Town and 15 games under Ron Atkinson on loan at Fourth Division champions Cambridge United. In eleven years as a professional at Portman Road, he made 148 league appearances.
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