The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Pittodrie Stadium becomes shrine to local hero
Death: Fans across football divide leave tributes at Pittodrie and clubs fly flags at half mast for Gothenburg Great and true gentleman
Heartfelt tributes were paid to Neale Cooper as fans flocked to Pittodrie Stadium yesterday to pay their respects to the legendary midfielder.
Football shirts, scarves, hats, flags and flowers were laid outside the main entrance, along with a huge banner stating simply “RIP Tattie”, a nod to the nickname of the popular Aberdonian, who died on Monday.
The esteem Cooper was held in even by fans of rival clubs was evident as among the tributes were a Rangers scarf and flowers left by “two Celtic fans”.
Among those who stopped to lay a tribute was fellow Dons legend Joe
“Where to start? Neale was such a special person”
Harper. He spent emotional minutes viewing the items by those who loved the player and the man.
The two former players were close friends, with Joe saying: “He was a pal, he was a son, he was everything to me.”
Some residents who also came to Pittodrie to pay tribute remembered him fondly from meeting him at events in the city.
Andrew Bigland, 56, said: “I’ve been lucky enough to meet Neale through work dinners.
“He would always speak away to you. He always treated everyone like they were one of him.
“He was such a nice, down-to-earth man, and one of the best storytellers.
“He was still young. It’s very sad.”
Maureen Henderson, 59, was a personal friend of Cooper. She said: “Where to start? Neale was such a special person.
“You could never have found such a gentleman as Neale.
“He had time for everyone and would go out of his way to help you.
“When I first met Neale I had no idea he was a footballer – I know nothing about football. It was only when friends said to me much later, ‘do you know who he is?’ That says it all about him.
“He helped me through some very bad times in my life and was a very close friend.
“It’s so, so sad.” James Steel, 44, and his 11-year-old son, Alexander, are both season ticket holders and paid tribute to the sportsman and his football career.
“I grew up with him in the 80s. I was my son’s age when I went to watch him,” said James, pointing to the stadium.
“He was a brilliant player. He’s the first of the Gothenburg team to go – that team won’t be together any more.”
And James Watt, 49, said: “Neale had a glorious career, but more often than not when people talk about Neale they don’t talk about the football. They talk about what a gentleman he was, how he treated others and how he always found time for everyone.
“He was too young and it’s just so sad.”
Yesterday, flags at Cooper’s former clubs were flying at half mast.
Aberdeen paid the tribute to their former star at Pittodrie, while in Dingwall the Third Division championship flag won by Cooper in the 1998-99 season was flown and then lowered to half mast.
The title win was the Staggies first as a league club and Cooper followed it up with promotion to the First Division the following season after a third place finish, firmly writing his name into a second club’s history.