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Terry
Cooper c.1972
The
following career profile appeared in Andrew Mourant
(1992) 'Leeds United Player by Player'.
Guinness Publishing, London.
"Terry
Cooper's career at Elland Road burned a long fuse before
it sparked into fulfilment. It took him six years at
Leeds to claim a regular first team place and,
considering his talents, it seems exttraordinary Don
Revie almost sold Cooper quite cheaply to Blackburn
Rovers, unsure of how to make the best of him. The
trouble was finding a niche for him. Formerly with
Wolverhampton Wanderers as a junior, Cooper joined Leeds
in 1961as a left-winger but despite good ball control he
was insufficiently sharp and unable to shrug off the
constant close attentions of defenders. During the next
four seasons, Cooper made first team appearances in fits
and starts and grew increasingly frustrated with his lot.
Don Revie
said it became one of his recurring nightmares that he
might have let Cooper go for just £25,000. But Blackburn
considered even that modest fee excessive. Eventually a
solution was found : in 1967 /68, Terry Cooper asssumed
the left-back position in place of Willie Bell, where he
would have the advantages of facing play. Yet as a purely
defensive left-back, Cooper had his imperfections. He was
never exceptionally fast and also vulnerable when being
attacked, sometimes dependent on Norman Hunter as extra
cover. he was notably left-footed but that was less of a
problem, for right-wingers tended to play his stronger
side.
All these
flaws; yet within three years of becoming a regular,
Cooper was playing in the World Cup finals in Mexico and
being spoken of as the best left-back anywhere. As much
as anything this was down to the exhilarating
constructive role he loved to play. A shrewd player - and
one with a dry sense of humour - Cooper's footballing
brain was there for all to see, exemplified hy his
superbly timed and struck passes down the left for Eddie
Gray. But Terry Cooper found his own left-winger's
instinct irrepressible and was never happier than when
overlapping as an extra attacker, crossing balls into the
penalty area that caused panic in many defences.
Once it
had developed full momentum, Cooper's career became full
of extravagant peaks - his beautifully volleyed goal
which won Leeds their first major trophy, the League Cup
in 1968 - and troughs, worst the broken leg sustained in
an away match against Stoke in April 1972 that robbed him
not only of an F.A. Cup winners medal, but of games in
which to enthrall crowds when at the height of his
powers. Cooper's emergence, as much as anything, helped
Leeds shuffle off their image as a dour side."
Terence
Cooper
Born :
Brotherton, near Castleford, 12 July, 1944.
League
appearances :
| Team |
Source |
Signed |
Played |
Games |
Subs |
Goals |
| Leeds United |
Apprentice |
07.62 |
63-74 |
240 |
10 |
7 |
| Middlesbrough |
Transfer |
03.75 |
74-77 |
105 |
0 |
1 |
| Bristol City |
Transfer |
07.78 |
78 |
11 |
0 |
0 |
| Bristol Rovers |
Transfer |
08.79 |
79-81 |
53 |
6 |
0 |
| Doncaster
Rovers |
Transfer |
11.81 |
81 |
20 |
0 |
0 |
| Bristol City |
Transfer |
08.82 |
82-84 |
38 |
22 |
1 |
| Total : 505 /
9 |
|
|
|
467 |
38 |
9 |
England appearances :
| Level |
Games |
Goals |
| Full |
20 |
0 |
Other
links on this site include ...
See Terry's mention
in the song 'Denis law and Ali McGraw'
Still listed on the
Official Southampton site as European Scout, November
2002
See Sons
and Daughters : Son.
Where are they now
? - see the article about his son - News May 2001
Terry wore white
football boots, see Football Boots: Hummel
Career 1999-: See 1999-2000, 2002-2003, 2003-2004, 2004-2005, 2005-2006
On other sites see ...
The
search is on for the whereabouts of Terry Cooper to sign
Terry Cooper's tags ! For full details visit Peter
Gable's site at Terry Cooper's Stocking
Tags - Leeds United. Please email Pete or
myself if you know how to contact Terry directly. Good
luck Pete !
Peter
Gable with Terry Cooper's Tags
See
Nigel Mercer's Tribute at Nigel's WebSpace -
English Football Cards, Player Pages - Terry Cooper
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