McLEISH TRIBUTE TO TRAGIC ‘BATTLER’ COOPER

SCOTLAND boss Alex McLeish has paid tribute to his former Aberdeen team-mate Neale Cooper, who died yesterday.

Cooper (left), 54, passed away after being injured in a fall on Sunday.

McLeish and Cooper were part of the legendary Aberdeen side managed by Sir Alex Ferguson that won two league titles and the European Cup Winners’ Cup.

McLeish (right) said: “It’s horrible, tragic. Neale had a heart attack last year and I didn’t know many details this time other than he’d had a fall at home.

“I’ll be in touch with Neale’s family. It’s horrific to hear this bad news. “Neale was a massive character, a tremendous lad always throughout his career. He was such an affable guy. “I was praying he would pull through – we were all together in that because he was such a battler. When I went to Aberdeen he was supposed to be the new Franz Beckenbauer and when I arrived on that training ground he stuck out a mile.”

Cooper also played for Aston Villa, Rangers, Reading and Dunfermline.

He went on to manage Ross County, Gillingham, Peterhead and Hartlepool.