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Terry Cooper and some great moments in BCFC history

City oz

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City oz

City oz

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MY CLUB: TERRY COOPER

SUNDAY, MAY 24TH 2020

The former England and Leeds United full-back ended his playing career at Ashton Gate and managed the club during its fight back from near extinction in 1982 – taking the Robins to Wembley for the first time in their history.

I was at Middlesbrough, nearing the end of my playing career, when I got a phone call from my old Leeds United team-mate the late Norman Hunter, who was then in Bristol City’s team, to say that manager Alan Dicks was looking for a left-back. Did I fancy joining him at Ashton Gate?

That call changed the course of my life. When I discussed it with my wife Rose, she reasonably pointed out that I was 34 and it would mean uprooting to go to the other end of the country when our kids were settled at school. I don’t know why, but I just fancied it and agreed terms in no time when I came down to speak to the club. Along with the family, I ended up spending the next 13 years in the Bristol and never regretted moving to such a lovely city.

Unfortunately, I didn’t play much because of problems with an Achilles tendon, but I still enjoyed being involved at what was then a top-flight club with a fantastic spirit and a good team. Little did I know then that I would return as manager in 1982 after launching that part of my career at Bristol Rovers with so little experience that I contrived to cock them up completely! I did learn a lot from that 18 months, however, and was more prepared for the role when City came calling.

Director Bob Boyd, who ran the schoolboy team my son Mark played for, was first to ask if I fancied the job. The club had survived almost going out of business a matter of months earlier and, although a new company had taken over, only a few players had signed on for the following season. It was like an artist being offered a blank canvas to work on. With virtually no money to spend, there was an entire team to build.

I still told Bob that City would be brave to take me on as manager after what I had done at Rovers. Fortunately, I don’t think anyone else wanted the job! I agreed to take charge and brought in Clive Middlemass, who I had known since our early days as youngsters at Leeds, to be my assistant. Together we did almost everything, training, scouting, the laundry, and even acting as removal men for Alan Walsh when I signed him from Darlington.

I reckoned there was only one way Bristol City could go after three successive relegation seasons, unless I was a complete imbecile. But I was wrong. By December of my first season in charge, we were bottom of the entire Football League. I made a comeback on the pitch as player-manager and, with Tom Ritchie and Chris Garland recruited to join John Shaw in what was basically a team of kids, the tide started to turn.

Results improved and, with a few more signings in the summer, we went up the following season, thanks to there being four promotion places available. I’ll never forget during the coach trip home from Chester, where we clinched a place in the Third Division, seeing a car full of supporters with a big banner saying ‘Jesus Said Come Forth.’

And We Did. Two years later came the Freight Rover Trophy final at Wembley and the sight of 30,000 City fans cheering the lads on against Bolton Wanderers made it the most emotional occasion of my entire football career. I had played for England and in a great Leeds side, but this was the team Clive and I had built from nothing and seeing them grace Wembley with some fantastic football in a 3-0 win was too much for me. I choked up during a TV interview on the pitch after the game and couldn’t talk. Memories of that day remain so vivid and a couple of reunions in recent years have reminded me how special it was for players and supporters alike.

I wish I could have won another promotion for the club, but I left it in good hands when Joe Jordan, a player I had signed thinking he might one day replace me as manager, did exactly that in 1988. We had gone close to reaching the Second Division on a couple of occasions and I was delighted when Joe achieved that aim in 1990.

I still keep a close eye on results from my home in Tenerife and enjoy reminiscing with fans on trips to visit Mark at Forest Green Rovers. He loved growing up in Bristol and it’s always nice to hear long-standing City supporters speak fondly of those days back in the 1980s when the club was close-knit and united in its determination to become a force in English football again.

This interview is one of many inside the commemorative 125th anniversary brochure. It tells the story of the club's history, exclusive interviews, profiles of former players, images from the arrives and more. Buy yours from the Bristol Sport Store online for just £5.

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Mendip City

Mendip City

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2 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

Top Man, Top player, Top Manager. An absolute no-brainer to be a Bristol City legend. He saved us on the pitch  from total extinction. 

Loved his time at the club. Those were great days when I’d first started watching. Saved the club, worked himself into the ground. Those tears at Wembley still get me every time…. From a man who’d done way, way bigger things in the game with Leeds and England. 
I’d like him better acknowledged at the club…. The Terry Cooper Training Ground would have been good….!!! Seeing as he delivered entertaining football with kids and rejects while training on parks - that’s high performance!!! 

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bredwood

bredwood

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When he was at his peak in the 70s he was one of the first attacking full backs in this country and a great player.

He got then club back on its feet again after those traumatic 3 seasons and for added measure he effed up Rovers during the short period he managed them.

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Red

Red

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1 hour ago, cityloyal473 said:

Saved the club and injected life into it. It's that simple.

Best days i enjoyed being a supporter, With Terry Cooper giving the club and fans back their belief. Supporters were very very loyal home and away lots of the same old faces week and week out which backed the players and they responded. With a character like Cooper no way was City going to fail.

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italian dave

italian dave

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1 hour ago, Mendip City said:

Loved his time at the club. Those were great days when I’d first started watching. Saved the club, worked himself into the ground. Those tears at Wembley still get me every time…. From a man who’d done way, way bigger things in the game with Leeds and England. 
I’d like him better acknowledged at the club…. The Terry Cooper Training Ground would have been good….!!! Seeing as he delivered entertaining football with kids and rejects while training on parks - that’s high performance!!! 

Couldn't put it better. Loved him, loved his time here, loved watching City play under him...and most of all loved how he turned us round from utter despair (three consecutive relegations and a bankruptcy) to give us hope and enjoyment again. 

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ForeverRed

ForeverRed

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2 hours ago, Mendip City said:

Loved his time at the club. Those were great days when I’d first started watching. Saved the club, worked himself into the ground. Those tears at Wembley still get me every time…. From a man who’d done way, way bigger things in the game with Leeds and England. 
I’d like him better acknowledged at the club…. The Terry Cooper Training Ground would have been good….!!! Seeing as he delivered entertaining football with kids and rejects while training on parks - that’s high performance!!! 

Totally agree.... Absolute Legend. The Terry Cooper High Performance Centre as a pleasing ring about it!! 

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maxjak

maxjak

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I remember 4 of us bumping into him on the way out of the Gate, after we had just lost at home.  One of us mentioned something to him about why a particular player was not in the team, and he invited all four of us to his office straight after the game for a chat and a cup of tea.  We had about 20 minutes with him, discussing the game and putting our point of view.  He was a real gentleman, and great company......even listening intently to all our bullshit.  Ha!

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Offside

Offside

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My favourite ever City manager. A top class player and ex international who had played with and against the best players of his era, who was overcome with emotion after that Freight Rover Trophy win because of what it meant to him and the club. And all the work he did behind the scenes, helping out in the shop, selling tickets, buying players fish and chips after away games……a City legend. 

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magunn

magunn

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In modern times the term 'legend' is awarded way too easily. In Terry Cooper's case however this is not only justified, but should be seen as the benchmark for legendary status. He dragged this club up from the depths of the league, with kids and a few senior players (  I would put Ritchie and Garland in the legend category as well), to a Wembley final. As a supporter in the sixties and seventies I never thought I would ever see City play at Wembley, yet there we were. After '82' and the 8 this was the renaissance of the club. He put the pride back into the 'City' and the City of Bristol. 

I for one cannot believe the club has not honoured the man with something named after him. Please do this whilst he can appreciate the love and respect City fans of all ages have for him.  I am sure we would all like to see Terry back at AG for real thank you.

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Mendip City

Mendip City

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6 hours ago, italian dave said:

Couldn't put it better. Loved him, loved his time here, loved watching City play under him...and most of all loved how he turned us round from utter despair (three consecutive relegations and a bankruptcy) to give us hope and enjoyment again. 

Thank you. The other thing I should have added is that he got his reams playing decent entertaining positive football. I think that’s what what annoys me when I see sone of the expensive cautious rubbish that gets served up these days. Let’s hope Nige is able to get entertaining football going again…. It’s been a while! 

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cidered abroad

cidered abroad

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In TC time here, the AGM was a bit about the finances and then TC answering questions.

One was "Why did you sell Trevor Morgan?" 

TC said that before Trev came to City he had always rented a house. But at City, most players bought with a mortgage. So Trev followed suit and then like most in first year of mortgage found he was struggling financially. He asked TC for a pay rise but answer was no - only a year or so after the 1982 fiasco. TC told him that if we got any offers for him, he would be told as he might be able to get more at another club.

That is why Trev Morgan left City for a pay rise to help pay the mortgage.

TC told us he had wanted to keep him but allowed him to go for Trev's sake. A very good example of how Terry Cooper managed our club and also an insight into the fact that transfers can happen for lots of reasons unknown to fans.

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Antman

Antman

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we lived 4 doors up the road from him in Yorkshire (Brotherton).

i recall the day 5 or 6 leeds players strolled up our drive looking for Terry, i had to tell them he lived down the road.

this was in the leeds heyday (they beat southampton 7-0 around then i recall) but as a boy i followed West Ham to all my mates consternation :)

When i found myself in Bristol (art school) and started going to City, i was delighted to find Terry Cooper at the helm.

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Redtrojan

Redtrojan

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Lovely interview.

And of course not only was he a great manager but he came off the bench to set up Martyn Hurst to score the winner in probably my favourite game ever ,the 1-0 down 2-1 up we knocked Rovers out the cup game at Eastville in 1983 when rovers topped the league and we were cannon fodder with zero expectation that day.

The packed old open end at Eastville rocked ,thanks TC.

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ForeverRed

ForeverRed

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5 hours ago, Redtrojan said:

Lovely interview.

And of course not only was he a great manager but he came off the bench to set up Martyn Hurst to score the winner in probably my favourite game ever ,the 1-0 down 2-1 up we knocked Rovers out the cup game at Eastville in 1983 when rovers topped the league and we were cannon fodder with zero expectation that day.

The packed old open end at Eastville rocked ,thanks TC.

The only time I've cried at a football match!!

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INCRED

INCRED

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19 hours ago, Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan said:

That video of him at Wembley after winning the Freight Rover Trophy shows you what the club meant to him. The bloke is a Bristol City legend.

It was his team, he lived and loved every moment and I’m amazed and disappointed the club haven’t named a stand or had a statue put up. In some respects his contribution was as important as the 8 players who ripped up their contracts

The first freight rover trophy win will forever stay in my memory and his post match interview still brings a lump in my throat

A great man who we have owe a big debt of gratitude 

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Lanterne Rouge

Lanterne Rouge

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34 minutes ago, INCRED said:

It was his team, he lived and loved every moment and I’m amazed and disappointed the club haven’t named a stand or had a statue put up. In some respects his contribution was as important as the 8 players who ripped up their contracts

The first freight rover trophy win will forever stay in my memory and his post match interview still brings a lump in my throat

A great man who we have owe a big debt of gratitude 

I feel sure we will name something after TC but it won`t be until after the sad day when he leaves us. The fans will expect nothing less and will make such a noise that it will not be able to be ignored.

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1960maaan

1960maaan

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1 hour ago, Lanterne Rouge said:

I feel sure we will name something after TC but it won`t be until after the sad day when he leaves us. The fans will expect nothing less and will make such a noise that it will not be able to be ignored.

It would be nice if the Club did something while he's still with us, just to let him know in a small way, just how highly he's thought of and loved.

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Tin Soldier

Tin Soldier

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Terry Cooper is one of the main reasons I support City today. An absolute legend.
The club should do something for him as danger of our history in the 80s being forgotten by most. He was a speaker at a sports dinner I went to years ago and you could have heard a pin drop when he told the story of how he picked up Bristol City from the ashes and built his team.
What a man!

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