Town are again reported to be amongst a number of clubs keeping an eye on Scunthorpe United’s £1 million-rated striker Gary Hooper. The Blues are said to have had scouts watching the 22-year-old net a hat-trick for the Iron in their 3-0 victory over Bristol City at Glanford Park on Saturday.
Hooper, who has scored 17 goals this season, began his career with Grays Athletic, making his debut as a 16-year-old, and helped them into the Conference in 2005 and to the FA Trophy in the same season.
The following year Hooper was an unused sub as the Essex side won the competition for the second year running. In November 2005, then-Town boss Joe Royle admitted that he had had Grays watched with Hooper amongst the potential targets.
The Loughton-born frontman moved on to Southend in the summer of 2006 on a Bosman but never really made his mark at Roots Hall, scoring just four goals in 17 starts and 27 sub appearances. While with the Shrimpers, Hooper, 5ft 9½in tall, joined Leyton Orient and then Hereford United on loan.
A month with the O's yielded two goals in two starts and two sub appearances, but his three-month spell with Hereford was even more impressive. Hooper netted 11 times in 19 games between January and April 2008 to help his temporary side to promotion to League One.
An £175,000 move to Scunthorpe followed that summer, the switch proving a big success with the frontman having scored 47 goals in 85 starts and seven sub appearances to date.
Town were last linked with Hooper in March last year when the Blues were amongst a number of Championship clubs said to be watching Hooper. Jim Magilton's chief scout Steve McCall is still in the same role under Roy Keane and may well have been the man keeping tabs on Hooper both a year ago and more recently.
The striker, also linked with Leeds United, QPR and Derby, has a year left on his contract at Scunthorpe with the Lincolnshire club unlikely to be in a position to be able to turn down a significant offer.
Meanwhile, a Town legends side beat a Norwich veterans side 2-1 at Great Yarmouth on Sunday, Alex Mathie and David Johnson netting the goals.