piper came through the youth ranks of hometown club leicester city. after signing a professional contract in 2000, he made his first team debut in the league cup on 9 october 2001, playing the whole of a 6–0 home defeat to leeds united. after another appearance in a 4–1 league defeat to liverpool, he was loaned to mansfield town, for whom he played 8 times. he impressed there, and scored his first senior goal against swansea city. on his return in january 2002, piper played 27 games as leicester fought relegation from the premier league. although leicester were ultimately relegated with a mere five league wins all season, piper made his mark in the club's history by scoring the last ever competitive goal at filbert street against tottenham hotspur as leicester won 2–1.