I'm sure, after his three-way battle with Tim Krul and Fraser Forster for the first team place, no-one was more shocked than Harper when Pardew brought in Rob Elliot in the summer transfer window.
Did it suggest the Easington-born stopper had pl
ayed his last ever Newcastle game?
Who knows ... although at the very least I'm sure the Toon boss will give him one last appearance (if only from the bench) to say a goodbye to the Toon fans.
He has been backed to be a top coach when he hangs up his gloves – but the goalkeeper should still has a big role to play on the pitch - elsewhere if not at Newcastle United.
Nobody could doubt his loyalty to our club, because he has snubbed offers from far and wide, but perhaps a move away would have given him a fuller career and even international honours.
Since his Newcastle debut back in 1998/9, he has played only 151 league games for the club, being number two to Shay Given for so long.
That is 151 league games played - 312 missed.
He has spent time on loan at Bradford City, Gateshead, Stockport County, Hartlepool Utd, and Huddersfield Town, but always returned to the club where he started his career.
Harper still has two years left on his Newcastle contract, and assistant manager John Carver insists he has an important role to play on and off the field at the club.
John Carver: “Steve’s very important here, especially with the younger lads.
“The information he gives on the pitch is very good. Listen, there’s no doubt he will go into coaching. By the information he gives the players you can see that.
“That can only benefit him and the players he has around him.”
PLEASE VOTE IN OUR POLL -
HE'S BEEN LOYAL AND HE IS HIGHLY RESPECTED BY THE FANS ... BUT IF HE HAD MOVED ON DO YOU THINK STEVE HARPER COULD HAVE PLAYED FOR ENGLAND?
VOTE: http://www.newcastleunited-mad.co.uk/interactive/voting_polls.asp