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 Cooper at the1970 FIFA World Cup | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Terence Cooper[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1944-07-12)12 July 1944 | ||
| Place of birth | Brotherton, England | ||
| Date of death | 31 July 2021(2021-07-31) (aged 77) | ||
| Height | 5 ft7+1⁄2 in (1.71 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Left back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Leeds United | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1962–1975 | Leeds United | 250 | (7) |
| 1975–1978 | Middlesbrough | 105 | (1) |
| 1978–1980 | Bristol City | 11 | (0) |
| 1980–1981 | Bristol Rovers | 59 | (0) |
| 1981–1982 | Doncaster Rovers | 20 | (0) |
| 1982–1984 | Bristol City | 60 | (1) |
| Total | 505 | (9) | |
| International career | |||
| 1969–1974 | England | 20 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1980–1981 | Bristol Rovers | ||
| 1982–1988 | Bristol City | ||
| 1988–1991 | Exeter City | ||
| 1991–1993 | Birmingham City | ||
| 1994–1995 | Exeter City | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Terence Cooper (12 July 1944 – 31 July 2021) was an Englishfootball player and manager. He was aleft back in theLeeds United team of the 1960s and 1970s, and featured for England at the 1970 Mexico World Cup. He later went on to manage both of Bristol's football teams,Birmingham City and was twice manager ofExeter City.
Cooper was born inBrotherton,West Riding of Yorkshire.[1] He was not discovered as a young player in the conventional manner – he simply turned up atLeeds United one day with hisfootball boots in a paper bag, asking for a trial. He was granted his wish and impressed enough to be offered anapprentice contract.[3]
Initially a left winger, Cooper was converted to a defensive role by Leeds bossDon Revie on signing at the age of 17. He made gradual progress in the first team over the next six years until Revie decided to make him the permanent No. 3 in 1966.[4]
Cooper settled in thereafter earning a reputation as a full back of innovation,[5] showing that the right levels of fitness, skill and an ability to cross the ball meant he could perform a devastating overlap down the left flank to support much-feared wingerEddie Gray. This was so successful it became a trademark of Leeds's play. He could also 'go inside', joining attacks centrally and scoring some important goals.[4][6]
In 1968, Leeds won theLeague Cup againstArsenal atWembley. A poor and occasionally high-tempered match was settled by Cooper's volley after a corner had been half-cleared, although Arsenal claimed theirgoalkeeper had been fouled by central defenderJack Charlton.[6] Cooper subsequently featured in the team which won theFairs Cup in the same season.[4]
In 1969, Leeds won theLeague championship with Cooper making his contribution.[4] Revie did not buy a reserve left back but instead used the utility playerPaul Madeley to replace Cooper in the event of injury or suspension. He was given his debut forEngland byAlf Ramsey againstFrance the same year, and England won 5–0 with Cooper putting on a classy individual showing.[6]
In the summer of 1970, Cooper gave an excellent series of performances as England's first choice left back at theWorld Cup inMexico, which ended with defeat in the quarter-finals toWest Germany.[4] Leeds won the Fairs Cup again in 1971 but missed out on the League on the last day.[3]
He seemed set to follow suit the next season as Leeds again chased League and FA Cup honours, but then suffered a broken leg in April 1972 during a League game atStoke City.[4] Aside from missing that season's FA Cup final victory over Arsenal, Cooper missed a whole 20 months of football due to the complications of the injury. When he did come back, it was with just two appearances in the 1974 season, thereby missing out on a League championship medal – Leeds won it with a 29-match unbeaten start – due to a lack of games.[7]
Cooper's Leeds career was effectively over by the time he regained his fitness.[3] The departure of Revie for the England job in 1974 and the emergence over the next season ofFrank Gray, younger brother of Eddie, as well as the continued presence ofTrevor Cherry (whom Revie had bought as a central defender in 1972 but had ended up filling in at left back), rendered Cooper surplus to requirements. He left the club in 1975 to joinMiddlesbrough who were managed by former Leeds teammate Charlton.[8]
After three years with Middlesbrough, playing more than 100 games, he moved on toBristol City for two years, before being appointed as player-manager of rivalsBristol Rovers.[4] After an unsuccessful period there, he subsequently assisted and played for his former Leeds skipperBilly Bremner atDoncaster Rovers.[4] He was then approached to become player-manager at Bristol City following their consecutive relegations from the 1st to 4th divisions. Within two seasons, promotion to the Third Division was achieved with a fourth-place finish in 1983–84.[4] Two years later he led the club to their first Wembley visit, winning theAssociate Members' Cup Final againstBolton Wanderers in 1986.[9] His management career also took in a period at the helm ofBirmingham City sandwiched between two spells atExeter City.[4]
Cooper and his wife Rosemary had three children.[4] His son,Mark, and grandson,Charlie, also became footballers.
Cooper died on 31 July 2021, aged 77.[4]
Individual
Bristol City
Exeter City
Birmingham City
