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DAVID
HOOK - 300 NOT OUT
by
Lawrie Harries
 Harrow
Borough 'keeper David Hook reached a significant milestone in the
game against Basingstoke on 13th February 1999, which was his 300th
game for the club. David was signed from Hampton, then in the Second
Division, in late summer of 1993 by Harry Manoe. Harry had attempted
to sign Hooksie while he was manager at Hayes and maintained his
interest when he took over the reins at Earlsmead.
Hooksie
made his debut for Boro against Kingstonian on 4 September, 1993.
Boro's side that day was Hook; Court, Pearce, Knight, Bensted, D.
Brown, Emmanuel, Shaw, Westley, Prutton and Metcalfe. Subs: T. Benning
and Hurlock. Boro lost by four goals to two, with both Harrow goals
coming from Graham Westley.
Hooksie's
season by season record at the Boro is set out below:
|
Season
|
Games
|
Goals
Conceded in Competitive Games
|
Average
Goals per Game
|
Clean
Sheets
|
| 1993/94 |
62
|
83
|
1.34
|
20
|
| 1994/95 |
54
|
85
|
1.57
|
10
|
| 1995/96 |
56
|
65
|
1.16
|
11
|
| 1996/97 |
39
|
59
|
1.51
|
4
|
| 1997/98 |
50
|
64
|
1.28
|
12
|
| 1998/99 |
39
|
61
|
1.56
|
10
|
| Totals |
300
|
417
|
1.39
|
67
|
| |
|
|
(Average 22%)
|
Hooksie
has kept a clean sheet in nearly one quarter of the games he has
played for Boro. Earlier this season when Boro had their purple
patch he did not concede a goal for 392 minutes. After Dagenham
& Redbridge striker Cobb had netted at Earlsmead in the 77th minute,
Boro went on a run of four games without conceding a goal and then
knocked in eight against Carshalton. But the Robins broke the sequence
after Boro gave away a penalty in the 19th minute.
In
season 1995/96, he had an even more impressive run. In February,
1996, in a county cup tie against Uxbridge at Earlsmead, they scored
in the fifth minute of stoppage time leading to 30 minutes of extra
time. David kept a clean sheet for extra time and for the next four
games before Yeading scored a consolation goal in the 78th minute
in a 4-1 Boro win. Hooksie's "scoreless spell" in early 1996 lasted
467 minutes.
David
Hook joins a select group of Harrow Borough players who have represented
the Club on more than 300 occasions. These are Steve Emmanuel (524),
Les Currell (429), Ray Metz (399), Colin Payne (397), Harry Manoe
(396) and Steve Bateman (329). These totals include games as substitute.
While clubs play far more games now than in previous decades, it
is still a mark of loyalty and consistency to play the six seasons
or so needed to achieve this honour.
IF
HOOKSIE SAVES THEM WHO SCORES THEM?!
Musing
over Hooksie record in goal, thoughts wandered to who has been banging
in goals at the other end. Who better to put that right than club
historian Tony Booth.
According
to the Booth Archives, Borough's leading scorers in each of the
club's season in the Isthmian League are as follows (Note these
are league goals only):
1975/76
Gary Gilbert 20
1976/77 John Cerasoli and Bobby Bennett 15
1977/78 Frank Seward 14
1978/79 Peter Sharratt 29
1979/80 Peter Sharratt 13
1980/81 David Pearce 22
1981/82 George Duck 25
1982/83 George Duck 26
1983/84 George Duck 20
1984/85 Lawrence Holmes 13
1985/86 Lawrence Holmes 25
1986/87 Lawrence Holmes 19
1987/88 Mark Adams 9
1988/89 Jimmy Bolton 17
1989/90 Martin Gurney 8
1990/91 Eamon O'Connor 16
1991/92 Steve Conroy 14
1992/93 Martin St. Hilaire & Steve Conroy 11
1993/94 Neil Fraser 12
1994/95 Neil Fraser 25
1995/96 Mark Xavier 29
1996/97 Mark Xavier 8 1997/98 Mark Xavier 13
1998/99 John Lawford 9
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