COPPINGER’S ROARIN’ 40S
JAMES COPPINGER’S own amazing longevity – he is still playing League One football at the age of 40 – sadly doesn’t extend to his much-loved dogs.
A couple of weeks ago the Doncaster Rovers midfielder made the heartbreaking journey to the vets for one of them to be put down.
Coppinger said: “It was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.
“I’ve actually got another dog in a similar situation so I might have to do the same again. Both 15 and with the family since the year dot.”
Coppinger has served notice that he intends to quit playing at the end of the season. “I think it will be my last season but there is a lot of pressure to play on for another year,” he said.
“I feel physically good. That side of it has never been an issue but I would still be surprised if I gave it another year.”
But it’s all relayed with a carefree twinkle – a complete contrast to the crazy all-consuming start to his career, when he went from playing Sunday league football to partnering Alan Shearer up front at Newcastle.
Darlington first spotted him in the local leagues only for Newcastle to quickly arrive with a £250,000 offer in 1998.
“One day I’m training at Darlington as a YTS lad and the next day I’m training under Kenny Dalglish at Newcastle.
“There were some big names there, like Alan
Shearer, John Barnes, Ian Rush and Stuart Pearce.
“It was a move I probably wasn’t really prepared for, to be honest. But at the time I was excited and couldn’t wait.”
He had to wait more than two years to make his Toon first-team bow. It was the only 11 minutes he played, coming on as a substitute to partner Shearer (below) in a 2-0 win over Tottenham.
Coppinger recalled: “From a young age I was never prepared for what happened. I was never consistent enough. I didn’t have a support network.
“I joined Exeter City, who eventually found themselves in the Conference.
“I didn’t know how to deal with problems.
“My mum and dad divorced and I lost my grandad to cancer. He had been the biggest part of my life.”
He lost thousands gambling and took solace in drink before turning his life around. The move to Doncaster came in 2004 – and he has been there ever since.
Now Coppinger mentors young players – offering them the mental wellbeing help he didn’t get. He said: “An off day in training... can spiral almost to the point of no return for some, because mentally they can’t cope.
“I’ve worked with individuals in the Championship, Leagues One and Two, the Scottish Premiership, and spoken to Liverpool and Newcastle who are interested.
“It helps that I am still playing and it’s been word of mouth – I’ve really enjoyed how it’s evolved.”