I played alongside Gazza and Laudrup but Davie outshone them both
FORMER TEAM-MATES PAY TRIBUTE TO A MAN WHO LIT UP FOOTBALL
DAVIE COOPER’S legacy is contained within a treasure trove of memories. One of the most sublimely gifted Scottish players of his generation, Cooper’s skill and vision created moments of indelible brilliance that can still manage to provoke a sense of wonder. He remains a hero to fans of Rangers, Motherwell and Clydebank. The winger also collected 22 caps for Scotland within a first-team career that spanned from 1974 to 1995. Cooper died on March 23, 1995, aged just 39. He had collapsed with a brain haemorrhage while filming a coaching video at Broadwood Stadium and his passing was announced the following morning. Those who played alongside him regard him as a one-off. The best. To mark the 25th anniversary of his death, Sportsmail spoke to five team-mates from different stages of Cooper’s career to build a picture of a genius at work and the man behind the magic of that left foot.
FROM CLYDEBANK TO INSTANT SUCCESS AT RANGERS
Born and raised in Hamilton, Cooper moved into professional football with Clydebank and swiftly built a reputation as a rising star.
He helped the Kilbowie club win promotion to the First Division before securing a £100,000 move to Rangers in June 1977. Cooper’s impact on the team he grew up supporting was instant.
He played 52 games as Jock Wallace’s side ended the 1977-78 season with a domestic Treble. A cup double followed the next year, with Cooper also scoring an incredible solo goal against Celtic in the 1979 Drybrough Cup final.
In just seven touches — two with his chest, four flicks and a finish — Cooper beat four defenders and goalkeeper Peter Latchford.
GORDON SMITH (Rangers team-mate 1977-1980 and 1982)
‘I joined Rangers in the same season as Davie. We became good friends and used to go for lunch pretty much every day.
‘The Drybrough Cup game is one people still talk about. It’s funny, Sandy Jardine scored a great goal that day but he knew afterwards that no-one would be talking about it.
‘Coop’s goal was so special. A lot of people couldn’t keep the ball up like that, but Davie did it against Celtic while being pressured by opponents. We were laughing in the dressing room after the game about how unbelievable it was.
‘To me, Davie was really a playmaker. But back then, if you weren’t a tackling-type player, you got moved wide. If Davie had been Spanish, Italian or French, he would have been a No 10 because he could run a game like few could.
‘When I left to go down to Brighton, Alan Mullery told me: “I saw you playing three games, you scored three goals and Davie Cooper made them all.” He said he tried to sign us both but Rangers would only let him pick one. I told him he’d got the wrong one!
‘I stayed friends with Davie and was supposed to be meeting him for lunch the day after he died. ‘I was devastated by it. He was such a lovely guy — friendly, down-to-earth and funny. ‘We used to speak about the development of players and felt individuality was being coached out of kids. Davie had some great ideas and there could have been no-one better for young players to learn from.’ TOUGHER TIMES AT IBROX IN THE EARLY 1980s Rangers faded as a force when the new decade unfolded. Manager John Greig left Cooper on the bench for spells as the team toiled in the league. Even so, he remained the player many Ibrox fans looked toward for signs of hope. Cooper scored as Dundee United were defeated 4-1 in the 1981 Scottish Cup final replay and again to lift the League Cup the next season. Two more League Cups followed when Wallace returned to replace Greig.
ALLY DAWSON (Rangers team-mate 1977-87)
‘There was so much going on at that time. There was a change in management, in players and the stadium was being built. All of that had an effect.
‘It possibly was a difficult period for Davie (being left out by Greig), but he would be the first to turn round and say maybe he shouldn’t have always been starting.
‘He was a fantastic player on his day. Incredible. But you still had other people who could do that job at times. Tommy McLean and Willie Johnston were there. Ian Redford could play wider, too.
‘Davie was never a luxury player, though. He worked hard. I played behind him a lot and it was one of the best partnerships I had. There will be few remembered the same way as him as he could change a game in such a brilliant way.
‘If I was to pick one match, it would probably be the 1981 Scottish Cup final replay. It was an amazing performance. People would absolutely rave about him if he was playing today.
‘He was misunderstood by some on the outside. They got caught up in this “Moody Blue” thing that was a load of nonsense. Davie was a great, genuine person who loved the club.’ PUTTING SCOTLAND ON THE
ROAD TO MEXICO Cooper won most of his Scotland caps between 1984 and 1987, a period in which he scored all six of his goals for the national side.
The most important came on the evening of September 10, 1985, but was overshadowed by tragedy and the death of Jock
Stein. Trailing 1-0 to Wales, Scotland were staring at an exit from the World Cup qualifiers before Cooper, a second-half substitute for Gordon Strachan, scored an 81st minute penalty to earn a play-off against Australia.
Stein suffered a heart attack at the end of the match in Cardiff.
Alex Ferguson took interim charge and Cooper drilled home a terrific free-kick against Australia to help secure passage to the finals. He made two substitute appearances in Mexico, against West Germany and Uruguay.
GRAEME SHARP (Scotland team-mate 1985-87)
‘When the penalty came up that night in Wales there was no doubt he was taking it. It was a case of: “I’ll have it, I know what I’m doing.”
‘It didn’t faze him, even though it meant so much to Scotland as a nation. The pressure was immense.
Only some people can take that on their shoulders.
‘Obviously with Jock passing away, what happened in the match kind of faded from the memory. But looking back, you can appreciate that moment.
‘Davie was also against a worldclass goalkeeper. I faced Neville Southall every day in training at Everton and he was unbelievable.
‘Maybe Davie didn’t play as many games as he should have at the World Cup. But you can add huge bravery beside huge skill when you think about his gifts.
‘People might ask if he would have done it in England. Without a shadow of doubt. He was top drawer and would have lit up the English league at that time.’
SHINING IN THE SOUNESS REVOLUTION
Cooper had turned 30 by the time Graeme Souness took over at Rangers. Surrounded by better players than before, it was the impetus for some of the best performances of his career. He won two league titles and two more League Cups, under-scoring his status as an Ibrox legend and earning a testimonial in front of 43,000 fans. Keen to ensure he kept playing as much as possible, Cooper ended his 12-year stay in August 1989 by moving to Motherwell.
IAN DURRANT (Rangers team-mate 1985-89)
‘I met my idol when I got to play alongside Davie Cooper. And I wasn’t disappointed in any way.
‘Davie was one of the best of all at welcoming us younger guys into the first team. In one of my early games, he turned to me and said: “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, wee man. Just enjoy it.”
‘Hearing that was brilliant. I struck up a great relationship with him. Actually, one of my biggest regrets is scoring against Celtic (in August 1986) and blanking Davie as I celebrated!
‘He gave me the greatest three-yard pass you will ever see, off the outside of his foot. But something went off in my head when I hit it. I took a total blank and ran off, past Davie! After the game he said: “Great goal, but if you ever do that again you’re getting clipped!” I think I apologised every day afterwards.
‘He scored so many brilliant goals himself. I remember an incredible mazy at Tynecastle when he glided past about six Hearts players.
‘The one that really sticks in my mind, though, is the League Cup final against Aberdeen in 1987. Three or four of us wanted to take the free-kick and Coop just said: “Get out the way.” He hit this Exocet missile. I was just getting into the Scotland squad at the time and remember Jim Leighton saying he nearly got a fingertip to it. Coop never lifted his head and said: “Aye, on the way out.”
‘I will be eternally grateful for how he took me under wing. It is a privilege to say he was my friend. He was the best I played with.
‘I was fortunate at a young age to play with Terry Butcher, the gaffer (Souness), Chris Woods, Ally McCoist and unsung heroes like Jimmy Nicholl. Years go on and you play in the same team as Paul Gascogne and Brian Laudrup. For me, though, Coop was the idol. I loved that my dad got to see me play alongside him.
‘Davie was that old Glasgow saying: gallus. A gallus player with an abundance of brilliance.’
MAGNIFICENT AT MOTHERWELL
It says it all that a stand at Fir Park now bears his name. Some suspected Cooper might be in decline when he moved to
Motherwell aged 33. He quickly scotched that notion, giving the club four memorable years, playing a vital role in their 1991 Scottish Cup triumph.
Having begun some coaching duties with Motherwell, he rejoined first club Clydebank in December 1993 in a player-coach capacity. His last first-team game came in February 1995.
CRAIG PATERSON (Motherwell team-mate 1989-91, Rangers team-mate 1982-86)
‘I think the Motherwell experience was about him helping other players. You look at the careers Tom Boyd and Phil O’Donnell went on to have.
‘They played down the same side as Coop. If you’re in trouble, give it to him. If you want to make a run, make it because you know Coop will find you.
‘It was like when I was 18, breaking into the Hibs first team and going to work beside George Best. Wow. The young guys at Motherwell must have felt the same about Coop. And he was helpful to them.
‘Motherwell were decent side before he arrived. All of a sudden you bring a genius into the mix. People start to think we could genuinely qualify for Europe or win a cup.
‘That’s what happened and I don’t think anyone in that team believes would we would have won in 1991 without the influence of Davie around the club and particularly on the park.
‘I wouldn’t say Coop was edgy before the final, he never was, but there was a spark there knowing it might be the last chance to write his name in the history books again.
‘People wondered whether his legs might go in extra-time. But he took the ball when the pressure was on. He gave the team authority, lifting the down feeling after losing a goal in the last minute of normal time.
‘A game that always comes back to me was in the league against Dundee United at Fir Park (in October 1989).
‘We were drawing 1-1 and down to ten men. You could start to feel sorry for yourself but not Coop. He won a penalty with this amazing piece of skill, going between two defenders, grabbed the ball and fired it in the net.
‘United equalised, but then Davie nutmegged David Narey with this unbelievable reverse pass for Dougie Arnott to score the winner.
‘I’d always been of the opinion that one man doesn’t make a team. But Davie won that game on his own.
‘I can’t believe it has been 25 years since he passed. He was just a gem of a guy.’