City_Shirts
Well-Known Member
Robert Hopkins arrived at Maine Road during September 1986 after being coveted by manager Billy McNeill for some time.
Signed from his boyhood club Birmingham City, he came with a reputation as a hot-headed player but with an abundance of skill and passion for the game. A City debut in a 2-2 Maine Road draw against Norwich City, curtsy of two Trevor Christie goals, Hopkins was named man of the match in the following 1-0 defeat to Coventry City, it seemed the move to Maine Road had started well for the midfielder who’s first and only City goal came in another home defeat against Leicester City.
Billy McNeill’s decision to leave City for Aston Villa during late September would have a major impact on Hopkins City career as new manager Jimmy Frizzell ruthlessly cut City’s wage bill with the likes Christie and fellow striker Gordon Davies all being told they were free leave and would not feature if they stayed.
For the record Hopkins appeared in just nine consecutive fixtures for City scoring the one goal before quickly retuning to the Midlands to join West Brom Albion in a deal which brought popular striker Imre Varadi to Maine Road.
Jimmy Frizzell on Robert Hopkins - 26th October 1986
“I had looked at Robert Hopkins in the short time he was at Maine Road, and felt his heart was still in Birmingham. We had agreed to pay his expenses for a while, but there were so many claims for train tickets to Birmingham that I felt he was never going to settle in Manchester. So when the opportunity aroused to do a deal with West Brom for Imre Varadi, which wasn't going to cost any money, and which allowed Robert Hopkins to go back to a club in the Midlands, I went ahead with it. In effect, all we did was swap their contracts. I was surprised with some of the comments Robert came out with in the press. If he did stay, he hoped we would be relegated and that West Brom would take our place in the First Division. I regard that as very childish. He didn't cause us any problems while he was here, and he's entitled to his opinion. But it's rubbish to say our young players are big-headed. We'd soon knock them down if they were. I feel Imre Varadi is a very important signing for us, and he scored a fine goal on his debut at Chelsea last week”.
Signed from his boyhood club Birmingham City, he came with a reputation as a hot-headed player but with an abundance of skill and passion for the game. A City debut in a 2-2 Maine Road draw against Norwich City, curtsy of two Trevor Christie goals, Hopkins was named man of the match in the following 1-0 defeat to Coventry City, it seemed the move to Maine Road had started well for the midfielder who’s first and only City goal came in another home defeat against Leicester City.
Billy McNeill’s decision to leave City for Aston Villa during late September would have a major impact on Hopkins City career as new manager Jimmy Frizzell ruthlessly cut City’s wage bill with the likes Christie and fellow striker Gordon Davies all being told they were free leave and would not feature if they stayed.
For the record Hopkins appeared in just nine consecutive fixtures for City scoring the one goal before quickly retuning to the Midlands to join West Brom Albion in a deal which brought popular striker Imre Varadi to Maine Road.
Jimmy Frizzell on Robert Hopkins - 26th October 1986
“I had looked at Robert Hopkins in the short time he was at Maine Road, and felt his heart was still in Birmingham. We had agreed to pay his expenses for a while, but there were so many claims for train tickets to Birmingham that I felt he was never going to settle in Manchester. So when the opportunity aroused to do a deal with West Brom for Imre Varadi, which wasn't going to cost any money, and which allowed Robert Hopkins to go back to a club in the Midlands, I went ahead with it. In effect, all we did was swap their contracts. I was surprised with some of the comments Robert came out with in the press. If he did stay, he hoped we would be relegated and that West Brom would take our place in the First Division. I regard that as very childish. He didn't cause us any problems while he was here, and he's entitled to his opinion. But it's rubbish to say our young players are big-headed. We'd soon knock them down if they were. I feel Imre Varadi is a very important signing for us, and he scored a fine goal on his debut at Chelsea last week”.