Hopper, a native of Ashington, began his career in non-league football,[3] including contributing to Lincoln City's Midland League title in 1920–21.[1] When he signed for Third Division club Millwall in April 1921, the Daily Express reported how "the spectators appreciated his clever wing play and shooting" when Lincoln eliminated Millwall from the FA Cup earlier in the year.[4] He made his Football League debut on 30 April, against Southampton, "proved as speedy and as hard a worker" as in that Cup tie, and was expected to "do better when he has had more experience with his new colleagues".[5] By the end of the 1921–22 season, the Express rated him "one of the most improved players in the team".[6] At the end of the next, Hopper left Millwall, and played non-league football until resuming his league career in 1926 with Coventry City and then Ashington. His last club was Annfield Plain in his native north-east of England.[3]
References
^ ab"Matthew Hopper". The Lincoln City FC Archive. Lincoln City F.C. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
^Dykes, Garth (2011). Ashington AFC in the Football League. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 36f. ISBN978-1905891481.
^ abcJoyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 129. ISBN978-1-899468-67-6.
^"Hopper becomes a 'Lion'". Daily Express. 19 April 1921. p. 6.
^"Lost art of scoring". Daily Express. 2 May 1921. p. 8.
^"The real Millwall". Daily Express. 1 May 1922. p. 10.
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