Terry Cooper (footballer Born 1944) - Later Career

Later Career

Cooper's longevity in his veteran years was impressive considering his long period of absence through injury, and after a healthy three years with Middlesbrough, he moved on to Bristol City for a year, before becoming player-manager of rivals Bristol Rovers. He subsequently assisted and played for his former Leeds skipper Billy Bremner at Doncaster Rovers, and had a second spell playing for and managing Bristol City. His management career also took in a period at the helm of Birmingham City sandwiched between two spells at Exeter City.

His first spell at Exeter yielded the Fourth Division title in 1990, and he moved to Birmingham City the following year, achieving promotion from the Third Division in his first season at the helm. He resigned as Birmingham manager in December 1993 and returned to Exeter later that season, although too late to keep them in Division Two. The club then went into receivership and despite surviving liquidation, the club finished bottom of the Football League in 1994-95 and only held on to their league status because Macclesfield Town did not meet the league's stadium capacity requirements. Cooper was then replaced by Peter Fox and has not returned to management. He spent 11 years as Southampton's chief European scout before retiring in 2007. He now lives in Tenerife.

Cooper's son Mark became a footballer in the late 1980s, enjoying a worthy career in the lower echelons of the professional game. He is now also a manager.