Superlatives cannot cover the talent this man had, nor in fact, can they
begin to express just what he meant to the Rangers support. He was a one
off, a genius on the park and a gentleman off it. A man who had the ability
to turn a game with a moment of brilliance. All the more amazing when you
consider that Davie wasn't blessed with the skill of being a two footed
player, he had that left peg and a standing leg, but my God that left one
was something special.
I was in awe of this man, I grew up idolising him. I remember having his
name emblazoned on an early Rangers jersey I had, back when it wasn't even
fashionable to have a name on the back, I even had the Red Scotland top
circa late seventies early eighties with Super Coops name on it. When I
played football I wanted to be him, when I went past an opposing player I
was him. I wanted to be a winger just like him, but i was never on the same
level as him, no-where near it. He had this God-given talent that just came
naturally, all I had was dreams and endeavour, but it got me by.
I have so many great memories of Coop. Of course there are the obvious
ones. Like the game against Ives Tampere, or the goal against Celtic in the
Dryborough Cup Final where he did keepie up in the box and they couldn't get
near him, before beating a few then coolly slotting the ball home. I
remember bears looking at each other speechless at the sight of that goal
yet to Davie it was no big thing. That Free kick against Aberdeen in the
Skol cup final. I swear the fans behind the goal ducked as it hit the net
because they thought it was going to rip right through the net, and we
thought Jorg Albertz had a howitzer shot from the dead ball situation?.
Setting up Ian Durrant for a goal against Celtic and raising his arms
waiting for wee Durrant to embrace him for the assist, only to see the
cheeky wee git bodyswerve him and run to the East Enclosure, did Davie growl
about it?, no, it became a story of Ibrox folklore, regarding the banter
around that incident afterwards.
His testimonial against Bordeaux as well, I got to the ground at five
o'clock so keen was I to get in and not miss paying tribute to my hero,
Remember this was back in the days of pay at the gate and come kick off
time the stadium was full to capacity with thousands of unfortunate fans
locked out the ground. I still cherish my programme to this day.
Yet my favourite memory of Davie was not at a big game or for an individual
piece of brilliance, it came at the humble surroundings of Brockville where
a Rangers select were playing a testimonial against, believe it or not, East
Stirling.
The game pretty boring and it was a cold, cold night. Davie was standing out
on the wing and right next to the fans watching play raging away at the
other side of the field. One of the supporters piped up to him about this
gold chain he had on and Davie engaged in the banter and had us all in
stitches, all this while the game was going on around him. Then the ball
comes over to him and he says 'Hold on', takes control of the ball and sends
a pass through to the forwards and calmly walks back and says 'so anyway..'
it was the coolest thing ever and I just thought 'Wow’ what a guy'.
The Bears look back at the Souness era as a monumental one in Rangers
history as the great man came in and turned our club around, but I also look
upon it as the era where Davie Cooper finally got the chance to express
himself fully on the park, Souness appreciated what he had in Davie Cooper
and let him do his 'thing' on a more regular basis.
I feel no shame in admitting I loved the man, it saddened me when he left
Rangers but I still followed his exploits at Motherwell, where he found a
new fan-base who fell in love with him. Mind you I think a player of the
likes of Cooper is always respected by football fans the world over because
they appreciate natural talent and if the owner of that talent isn't some
sort of big headed ignorant sod, then all the better. Davie Cooper was a
footballing genius and a gentleman, respected across the great divide that
is Rangers and Celtic.
Yet we were to lose him, at too young an age and so prematurely. God saw fit
to rob us of a man who the words 'Greatest' and 'Legend' didn¹t even begin
to describe his affect on us. Scottish football has not had many supremely
talented footballers in it¹s time, Baxter, Jinky Johnstone’ and Davie
Cooper’ are the names that immediately spring to mind.
I will never forget the day when I heard he had collapsed whilst filming a
programme with Charlie Nicholas and Tommy Craig. At first I thought it
wasn¹t serious but as the hours went on the full reality hit home. I
remember I had the radio on, flicking between stations, the TV was on and I
was also searching teletext. I even phoned the Southern General but was
given short shrift by the lady on the switchboard already exasperated at
the volume of calls she had received from worried bears etc. I was told that
because I wasn¹t family I couldn¹t be told, but I felt like family, I was
hurting like it was family. Pacing the floor, looking at my watch. praying
to God and anyone who would listen.
The only news we got through the media wasn¹t good, he was in a coma. Going
to work the next day was terrible, I had a radio with me to keep me up to
date, but I wanted to call in sick to get the day off, I didn't feel like
working.
At the time I was with the Royal Mail so I rushed my work and was home for
9.30am . As soon as i was in the radio and the TV were on. Searching for
news, anything, Praying it would say he was ok. Then on 10 o’clock the news
came on Radio Clyde. The female presenter uttered the words that I and every
supporter were dreading hearing, 'Davie Cooper Is Dead...’ what she said
following that never registered I was in shock, gutted. I composed myself a
few moments later only for the programme following the news to play 'In my
life¹ by The Beatles and then 'Simply the best¹ - I broke down, cried like a
baby,
Will we ever see his likes again? I don¹t think so, there will only ever be
one Davie Cooper.
The depth of feeling and the outpouring of grief for him was enormous,
People who see pictures of the shrine the fans dedicated to him at the
Copland road gates can¹t really appreciate the enormity of that tribute. It
was phenomenal the way it spilled out into the car park and wound it’s way
round to the main stand and in the opposite direction along the Copland. A
true testament to a man who meant the world to every Rangers supporter.
I miss him as much today as I did in the aftermath of his passing, hardly a
day goes by where Super Coop doesn¹t cross my mind. I remember watching a
documentary on him and his parting words were ŒVictory is mine- those words
have stuck ever since .
I¹ll never forget him .
God Bless Davie Cooper February 25th 1956 - March 22nd 1995
The Wizard on the wing
I remember the first time I saw you
I stood on the terrace In awe
The way you swept past opponents
the way your left foot caressed the baw’
I was just a wee Ranger
But you inspired me to take up the game
And I’d wear my Rangers top proud as punch
And dream Cooper was my name.
I would watch what you did, try to emulate
But I would always end in a heap
The gift you had was natural
God only knows what possessed you feet
I remember your testimonial
and how the stands they heaved
A small token of appreciation
for all you had achieved
You dazzled us with brilliance
defied all logic, sense
'The mans a Scot!, they don¹t have skill!¹
but you got your recompense
The world was your stage but home held your heart
And your loyalty was true
When we speak of wingers down Govan way
we’ll always remember you
But today came the news that numbed me
Coop had passed away
And I couldn¹t control the tears that fell
on this the darkest of days
We loved you Coop’ for all you gave
And the memories left behind
As a player you were Simply the best
As a person, One of a kind