Chris Harker (1953/54 to 1959/60)

Chris Harker was a well-built goalkeeper who only made one competitive appearance for the club. He was tough and courageous and very good at close quarters. However, with his lack of height, he struggled a bit with crosses.

Shiremoor-born Harker was first spotted as a schoolboy playing for West Allotment and he joined the junior side whilst working as an apprentice in the shipyard.

Fed up with playing for the "N"s he returned to the amateur side, but United came back for him and gave him a part-time contract.

Harker played in the senior side for the first time in the friendly against Barrow on 27/04/57 and as the Magpies won 8-0 it is fair to say he had a pretty easy time of it. However, as the game came to a close, the Cumbrians had four shots on target which he comfortably dealt with.

Chris played 23 games for the reserves during 1957/58 and earned some glowing tributes. In the last game of the season United tried out a crop of experiments which included Chris (aged 20) being given his debut. He gave a grand display.

Having finished his apprenticeship, he was called up for his two years National Service. Chris also played for Consett from November 1958 up until the end of the 1958/59 season.

On the 6th November 1959 he went on a month’s loan to Aberdeen and in so doing became the seventh ‘keeper that the Dons had used that season. Although he was still on National Service at Farnborough he was given various leaves of service to play and he ended up staying for the rest of the season. And in the summer he signed for the Scots in a permanent transfer.