"I hadn't played for a while ... you're walking along shaking hands and you're thinking 'That's Pavel Nedvěd and that's Del Piero' and there's the Champions League music blaring."

[6] Seen as back-up to first-choice goalkeeper Pavel Srníček after his arrival at Newcastle, and then Shaka Hislop and subsequently Shay Given; he had loan spells at Bradford City, Gateshead, Stockport County, Hartlepool United and Huddersfield Town before making his first-team debut as a half time substitute against Wimbledon in 1998.

[7] At this point Harper achieved the rare feat of making an appearance in each of the top five divisions of the English game.

The match was played at St James' Park and Harper managed to keep a clean sheet during a 1–0 win over the Italian champions.

He again expressed his desire to achieve first-team football in June 2006,[14] an act which saw then manager Glenn Roeder attempt to persuade Harper to remain with the club.

[2] The second goal, a 65-yard lob from Xabi Alonso, saw Harper slip whilst backpedaling to reach it, although he did still attempt to get up and stop it.

With Given struggling with a groin injury and rookie Tim Krul on loan at Falkirk, Harper was able to start the first six league games, keeping two clean sheets.

However he lost his place again when Given was fit, though another injury to Given later in the season allowed Harper to gain more first team appearances under the new boss, and the manager who first brought him to Newcastle, Kevin Keegan.

[13] Keegan reacted to this by stating his intentions to keep Harper,[17] and acknowledging his record of conceding just once in seven and a half hours of play.

[22] Harper returned to training in December 2010, and made the bench in new manager Alan Pardew's first game, beating Liverpool 3–1.

Krul kept his place for the 2–0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur as well on 28 December, but Harper returned as first choice keeper against Wigan Athletic away in a 1–0 win.

On 24 October 2011, Harper joined Football League Championship side Brighton & Hove Albion on a one-month loan,[23] making his debut the same day in a 1–0 defeat to West Ham United.

On 23 August 2012, Harper made his first appearance for Newcastle in 15 months away to Atromitos in the UEFA Europa League play-off match in a 1–1 draw.

[26] On 11 July 2013, it was revealed that newly promoted Premier League side Hull City are to offer Harper a one-year contract, as back up for their new goalkeeper Allan McGregor.

Former Newcastle players involved included Harper, along with Alan Shearer, Nolberto Solano, John Beresford, Darren Peacock, Nikos Dabizas, Lee Bowyer, Rob Lee, Ruel Fox, David Ginola, Peter Beardsley, Faustino Asprilla, Joey Barton, Shay Given and Andy Cole amongst others.

[32] On 22 January 2016, Harper signed for his boyhood club, Premier League side Sunderland until the end of the 2015–16 season, to provide cover for goalkeepers Jordan Pickford and Vito Mannone.

[2] He has a social sciences degree from the Open University, for which he studied whilst playing for the Newcastle reserve team.