| Tom Hopper | |
| Fullname: | Thomas Edward Hopper[1] |
| Birth Date: | 14 December 1993[2] |
| Birth Place: | Boston, England[3] |
| Height: | 1.86m (06.1feet) |
| Position: | Forward |
| Currentclub: | Colchester United |
| Clubnumber: | 14 |
| Youthyears1: | 2006–2010 |
| Youthclubs1: | Boston United |
| Youthyears2: | 2010–2011 |
| Youthclubs2: | Leicester City |
| Years1: | 2011–2015 |
| Clubs1: | Leicester City |
| Caps1: | 0 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Years2: | 2012–2013 |
| Clubs2: | → Bury (loan) |
| Caps2: | 22 |
| Goals2: | 3 |
| Years3: | 2015 |
| Clubs3: | → Scunthorpe United (loan) |
| Caps3: | 12 |
| Goals3: | 4 |
| Years4: | 2015–2018 |
| Clubs4: | Scunthorpe United |
| Caps4: | 103 |
| Goals4: | 20 |
| Years5: | 2018–2020 |
| Clubs5: | Southend United |
| Caps5: | 28 |
| Goals5: | 9 |
| Years6: | 2020–2023 |
| Clubs6: | Lincoln City |
| Caps6: | 83 |
| Goals6: | 14 |
| Years7: | 2023– |
| Clubs7: | Colchester United |
| Caps7: | 70 |
| Goals7: | 7 |
| Club-Update: | 17 August 2024 (UTC) |
Thomas Edward Hopper (born 14 December 1993) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for club Colchester United.
Tom Hopper began his career with Boston United. Hopper became Boston's youngest ever player, when aged 15 he came on as a substitute for goalscorer Spencer Weir-Daley for the final 13 minutes of a 2–1 Challenge Cup victory over Hucknall Town.[4] In the summer of 2010, Hopper signed for Leicester City and immediately began impressing in the club's youth teams.
Hopper signed his first professional contract with Leicester City in October 2011.[5] On 28 January 2012, Hopper was allocated the number 37 shirt and named on the substitutes bench for Leicester's FA Cup match against Swindon Town. He made his début as an 81st-minute substitute for David Nugent. Leicester won the match 2–0.[6] Hopper said of his debut that "It all seems like a blur, but something I have really enjoyed".[7]
Manager Nigel Pearson was said to be impressed by the youngster.[8] In May 2012, he was named as Leicester City's Academy Player of the Season.[9] Hopper was given the 21 number for the 2012–13 season.[10] On 14 September, Hopper joined Bury on a one-month loan deal.[11] Hopper scored twice in his first six games during a month-long loan spell at Bury, including his first ever professional league goal against Stevenage[12] and Crawley Town.[13] On 16 October Hopper extended his loan at Bury until 3 January 2013, which was then extended for the remainder of the 2012–13 season on 4 January 2013.[14] Hopper's loan spell was cut short and he was sent back to Leicester on 7 February 2013.[15]
Hopper finished the season with Leicester City Development Squad & Academy, helping them to win the 2012–13 Professional Development League 2 and the HKFC International Soccer Sevens cup tournament.[16] [17] Hopper was allocated the number 20 shirt at the beginning of the 2013–14 season[18] and was named as an unused substitute in Leicester's 2–1 Football League Cup win over Wycombe Wanderers on 6 August. He made his first appearance of the season in the next round of the League Cup, replacing Chris Wood in the 66th minute of a 5–2 win at Carlisle United.[19] On 30 May 2014, Hopper signed a new two-year deal.[20]
Hopper was an unused substitute in Leicester's first two Premier League fixtures, against Everton and Chelsea in August 2014.
On 8 January 2015, Hopper joined League One outfit Scunthorpe United on a one-month loan.[21] Hopper made his debut on 10 January 2015, scoring in the 4–1 victory against Walsall.[22] After scoring 4 goals in 4 games, Hopper's loan was extended until the end on the season on 2 February 2015.[23] Hopper was nominated for the Sky Bet League One Player of the Month award for January, missing out to Dele Alli of MK Dons.[24] After his Leicester contract was terminated, he joined Scunthorpe on a permanent basis on 26 June 2015.[25]
Hopper signed for Southend United on 15 June 2018 on a three-year deal.[26] He scored on his debut in a 3–2 defeat to Doncaster Rovers.[27]
Hopper signed for Lincoln City on 23 January 2020 for an undisclosed fee, on a contract running until 2023.[28] On 28 July 2022, Hopper was made the captain of the club following the departure of Liam Bridcutt.[29]
On 26 January 2023, Hopper joined Colchester United for an undisclosed fee.
On 11 February 2023, Hopper scored his first Colchester goal, a close range header in a 1–0 victory away at Grimsby.[30]
In May 2015, Hopper and teammates James Pearson and Adam Smith made a sex tape with local women on Leicester's tour of Thailand, which was obtained by the Sunday Mirror. The three players apologised for making the video, which included a racial epithet towards the women.[31] Following the outcome of disciplinary proceedings, the three players had their contracts terminated.
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Leicester City | 2011–12 | Championship | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2012–13 | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2013–14 | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |||
| Bury (loan) | 2012–13 | League One | 22 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 3 | |
| Scunthorpe United (loan) | 2014–15 | League One | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 4 | |
| Scunthorpe United | 2015–16 | League One | 34 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[32] | 0 | 36 | 8 | |
| 2016–17 | League One | 31 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 37 | 6 | ||
| 2017–18 | League One | 38 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4[33] | 2 | 46 | 9 | ||
| Total | 137 | 27 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 155 | 30 | |||
| Southend United | 2018–19 | League One | 14 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 7 | |
| 2019–20 | League One | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 3 | ||
| Total | 28 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 30 | 10 | |||
| Lincoln City | 2019–20 | League One | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2020–21 | League One | 39 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 48 | 11 | ||
| 2021–22 | League One | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 4 | ||
| 2022–23 | League One | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 22 | 5 | ||
| Total | 83 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 11 | 6 | 100 | 22 | |||
| Colchester United | 2022–23 | League Two | 33 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 39 | 4 | |
| 2023–24 | League Two | 35 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 41 | 4 | ||
| 2024–25 | League Two | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | ||
| Total | 70 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 82 | 9 | |||
| Career Total | 317 | 57 | 7 | 1 | 17 | 3 | 29 | 12 | 370 | 71 | |||