Alex Cooper (footballer)

Alex Cooper
Personal information
Full nameAlex Cooper
Date of birth4 November 1991[1]
Place of birthInverness, Scotland[1]
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Playing positionMidfielder
Club information
Current team
Falkirk
Number20
Youth career
–2007Ross County
2007–2011Liverpool
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2011–2014Ross County32(1)
2012→ Elgin City (loan)8(0)
2014–Falkirk12(2)
National team‡
2007–2008Scotland U177(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 27 November 2014.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20 March 2012

Alex Cooper (born 4 November 1991) is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Scottish Championship side Falkirk. He is a former Liverpool youth player and former Scotland youth international.

Career

Club career

Cooper began his playing career with Ross County's youth team.[1] He immediately showed signs of great potential, sparking interest from several major clubs. At 14, he was invited to take part in a tournament in Switzerland with Jose Mourinho's Chelsea.[2] and to train with both Celtic and Rangers. At the age of sixteen he went on a week-long trial to Liverpool which was cut short by injury.[3] He returned a month later for a further three-day trial playing one match after which he was offered a contract.[3]

He joined Liverpool on 28 December 2007 for a £100,000 fee signing a three-and-a-half-year contract.[2] After his arrival he started playing for Liverpool's Academy before progressing to the Reserve side managed by John McMahon.[3] During his time at Merseyside he suffered numerous injuries the most severe being a broken ankle ruling him out for six months during the 2009–10 season.[1][3]

Cooper was released by Liverpool in the summer of 2011 along with three other players following the expiration of his contract.[4] In the wake of his release, there was interest from a number of clubs, north and south of the border[5] and Cooper eventually re-joined Ross County on 18 October 2011 until the end of the season after nearly a four-year absence from Dingwall.[6] He appeared on the bench a day later for County's Scottish Cup tie against Albion Rovers but remained an unused substitute.[7] He made his senior debut on 7 January 2012 as a substitute in a 7–0 victory against Stenhousemuir in a Scottish Cup fixture replacing team mate Paul Lawson.[8] His next outing for County was again in the Scottish Cup, against SPL side St. Mirren in a fifth round replay defeat.[9]

On 16 March 2012, he joined Scottish Third Division side Elgin City on loan until the end of the season.[10] He made his debut the following day, starting in a 2–2 draw with East Stirlingshire.[11] Ross County were promoted to the Scottish Premier League with Cooper signing a new one-year contract in May 2012 keeping him at Dingwall until the end of the 2012–13 season.[12] His performances during that season earnt him his club’s Young Player of the Year award [13] and subsequently a similar new deal for the 2013–14 season. Cooper scored his first league goal in spectacular style during the New Year’s Day derby against County’s close rivals Inverness Caledonian Thistle which ultimately made the difference in a 2–1 win.[14] At the end of the 2013–14 season, his father left his role as an assistant manager at Ross County and Cooper was among three players to be released.[15]

On 3 July 2014, Cooper signed for Scottish Championship club Falkirk.[16] He scored on his Falkirk debut, a 7–1 win against East Stirlingshire in the Scottish Challenge Cup.[17]

International career

Cooper has represented Scotland at Under-15 & Under-16 levels including participation in the Victory Shield tournament.[18][19] He has also played for the Scotland Under-17 side on seven occasions, featuring in the age group's European Championship.[20]

Personal life

Alex is the son of former Aberdeen player Neale Cooper who previously managed Ross County and has since returned to be assistant manager.[21]

Career statistics

As of 22 October 2014.[22]
Club Season League Cup League Cup Other[nb 1] Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Ross County2011–120020000020
2012–13150100000160
2013–14171000000171
Total 32 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 35 1
Elgin City (loan)2011–1280000020100
Falkirk2014–1580003131142
Career total 48 1 3 0 3 1 5 1 59 3

Notes

  1. ↑ Includes other competitive competitions, including the Scottish Challenge Cup.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Alex Cooper". rosscountyfootballclub.co.uk (Ross County F.C.). Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Liverpool sign Ross County kid Alex Cooper". The Daily Telegraph (Telegraph Media Group). 28 December 2007. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Carroll, James (19 October 2010). "Flanno loves to rave in my car". liverpoolfc.tv (Liverpool F.C.). Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  4. ↑ Carroll, James (17 June 2011). "Reds release quartet". liverpoolfc.tv (Liverpool F.C.). Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  5. ↑ Loughlin, Nick (24 August 2011). "Pools take Cooper on trial". The Northern Echo (Newsquest). Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  6. ↑ "Ross County snap up former Liverpool youth". STV (STV Group). 18 November 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  7. ↑ "Ross County 4 – 0 Albion Rovers". albionroversfc.com (Albion Rovers F.C.). 19 November 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  8. ↑ "Ross County 7 – 0 Stenhousemuir". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 7 January 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  9. ↑ "Ten-man St Mirren held off a fightback by Ross County to secure a Scottish Cup quarter-final tie away to Hearts". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 14 February 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  10. ↑ Crowther, Stuart (16 March 2012). "Jack adds to his midfield as City set to face bottom club". STV. STV Group. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
  11. ↑ "East Stirlingshire 2 – 2 Elgin City". Scottish Football League. 17 March 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
  12. ↑ "Ross County announce new signings". Rossshire Journal (Scottish Provincial Press). 8 May 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  13. ↑ "Player of the Year Awards 2013". The Jailender. 31 March 2013. Retrieved 21 Jan 2014.
  14. ↑ "Ross County 2 – 1 Inverness". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 1 January 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  15. ↑ "Transfer news: Ross County to release Michael Fraser, Alex Cooper and Gary Glen". Sky Sports. 16 May 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  16. ↑ "HOUSTON BLITZ BOLSTERS SQUAD". Falkirk F.C. 3 July 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  17. ↑ "EAST STIRLINGSHIRE 1 FALKIRK 7". Falkirk F.C. 26 July 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  18. ↑ "Under 15s draw with Belgium". www.scottishfa.co.uk (Scottish Football Association). 5 April 2006. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  19. ↑ "Under 16s go goal crazy". www.scottishfa.co.uk (Scottish Football Association). 13 September 2006. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  20. ↑ "Alex Cooper Profile". www.scottishfa.co.uk (Scottish Football Association). Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  21. ↑ "Liverpool snap up teenager Cooper". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 28 December 2007. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  22. ↑ "A. Cooper". Soccerway (Global Sports Media). Retrieved 19 November 2011.

External links