Fans' tribute to former Bristol Rovers player

THOUSANDS of football fans will take part in a minute's applause on Saturday in memory of a former North Devon pub landlord.

Peter Hooper, who has died aged 78, will be remembered by spectators before this weekend's match between Bristol Rovers and Hereford United.

Mr Hooper represented Rovers from 1953 to 1962 and was one of only six players to score more than 100 goals for the club.

After retiring from professional football in 1966, Mr Hooper was landlord of The Three Pigeons in Bishops Tawton, where he lived, before spending 19 years as a probation assistant in Barnstaple.

Born in Teignmouth on February 2, 1933, Mr Hooper, who played at outside left, caught the eye of Bristol Rovers while playing for Dawlish Town.

He made his Football League debut in March 1954 and appeared in 163 consecutive matches between October 1957 and August 1961.

By the time he left to join Cardiff City, he had played 297 games for Rovers in the old Second Division – the equivalent of today's Championship – and scored 101 goals.

In an interview with the Journal in November 2009, Mr Hooper said: "I played at Liverpool and scored at the Kop end – what more does a man want in life?"

After one season with Cardiff, he had a spell with Bristol City.

When his career was ended by a bout of peritonitis he moved to North Devon where he played non-league football for Barnstaple Town.

A minute's silence was observed in his memory before last week's match between Town and Willand Rovers.

After a brave battle with ill health, Mr Hooper, who had two daughters, died in a Barnstaple nursing home on August 13.

His funeral took place in Bishops Tawton on Saturday.