One of Steve Harley’s former papers has recalled how the journalist turned pop star deliberately got himself fired in order to pursue his music career.

As reported on HTFP yesterday, the Cockney Rebel singer, who has died aged 73, started his working life as a journalist on papers in Essex, London and Kent.

Now one of his former titles, the East London Advertiser, has recalled how the then Stephen Nice grew his hair long and adopted a scruffy appearance in order to annoy his editor and get given his cards.

Steve himself owned up to the ploy in an interview published in 2016 to mark the Advertiser’s 150th anniversary.

Steve Harley pictured for the Advertiser at the time of his 2016 interview

He told the paper that its union rep, Ivan Waterman, had advised him how best to leave the job.

“Make them sack you then I’d get dole money straight away. But if I resigned I’d have to wait six weeks,” he recalled.

“So I grew my hair to annoy the editor, slackened my tie, forgot to shave and generally turned up late with a scruffier look than was acceptable in such a job.”

He remained friends with Ivan Waterman who would later become a showbiz reporter in Fleet Street.

Recalled Steve: “Ivan would probe me in West End nightclubs for gossip after I’d become a pop star.

“I had taken his advice and rather regret it now — I never meant to show disrespect to the Advertiser or the great profession of journalism.”

Prior to his sacking, Steve shared several ‘cloak and dagger’ investigations with fellow reporter Harvey Lee into drug abuse and prostitution.

His best-known song, Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me) got to Number 1 in 1975.