Steve Cooper
Encyclopedia
Steve Cooper was an English
footballer
best known for his time spent with Airdrieonians
. His headed goal in the semi-final at Hampden against Hearts ensured that his Airdrie
side made it to the 1995 Scottish Cup final and he played the full 90 minutes against Celtic
as the Diamonds lost 1-0 to a Pierre van Hooijdonk
goal.
Before joining Airdrie, Cooper played for a number of clubs in England, most notably Tranmere Rovers
, where he scored twice in Tranmere's successful playoff campaign in 1991
that saw the club promoted to the first division
, and also scored in the club's 3-2 defeat against Cooper's former club Birmingham City
in the Leyland DAF Cup
final, also in 1991. In 1984 he had a loan spell in Holland with NAC Breda
.
Cooper is also remembered by fans of Peterborough Utd after he came off the bench to score a late diving header from a Worrell Sterling
cross in the 1992 Division 3 playoff semi final against Huddersfield Town.
He was inducted into the Airdrie United Hall of Fame in 2004 as recognition of his service to the club. He died in this same year at 39 years of age.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
best known for his time spent with Airdrieonians
Airdrieonians F.C.
Airdrieonians Football Club, more commonly known as Airdrie, were a Scottish professional football team from the town of Airdrie, in the Monklands area of Lanarkshire....
. His headed goal in the semi-final at Hampden against Hearts ensured that his Airdrie
Airdrieonians F.C.
Airdrieonians Football Club, more commonly known as Airdrie, were a Scottish professional football team from the town of Airdrie, in the Monklands area of Lanarkshire....
side made it to the 1995 Scottish Cup final and he played the full 90 minutes against Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
as the Diamonds lost 1-0 to a Pierre van Hooijdonk
Pierre van Hooijdonk
Petrus Ferdinandus Johannes "Pierre" van Hooijdonk is a retired Dutch football player who played as a striker. His last spell was at Feyenoord Rotterdam. Van Hooijdonk was capped 46 times for the Dutch national team, scoring 21 goals, and played in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2000 and Euro 2004...
goal.
Before joining Airdrie, Cooper played for a number of clubs in England, most notably Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
, where he scored twice in Tranmere's successful playoff campaign in 1991
1990-91 in English football
The 1990–91 season was the 111th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Arsenal won the league. Runners-up spot was achieved by Liverpool, who had led the table for much of the first half of the season but had been shell-shocked in February by the sudden resignation of manager...
that saw the club promoted to the first division
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
, and also scored in the club's 3-2 defeat against Cooper's former club Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
in the Leyland DAF Cup
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
final, also in 1991. In 1984 he had a loan spell in Holland with NAC Breda
NAC Breda
NAC Breda , simply often known as NAC, is a Dutch professional football club, based in Breda, Netherlands. NAC Breda play in the Rat Verlegh Stadium, named after their most important player, Antoon 'Rat' Verlegh. They play in the Dutch Eredivisie and are known by the fierce and fanatic support of...
.
Cooper is also remembered by fans of Peterborough Utd after he came off the bench to score a late diving header from a Worrell Sterling
Worrell Sterling
Worrell Sterling is an English former professional footballer, who played as a midfielder.Sterling began his career as a trainee with Watford, before signing as a professional with them in 1983...
cross in the 1992 Division 3 playoff semi final against Huddersfield Town.
He was inducted into the Airdrie United Hall of Fame in 2004 as recognition of his service to the club. He died in this same year at 39 years of age.