Davie Cooper, the enigma

[plymouthranger 3,908]

As a Rangers fan who was born in the Souness-era, I never had the pleasure of watching Davie Cooper play in the flesh. It is near the top of a list of things i'd wish for. Our fans adored him, many elsewhere didn't however.

Without any disrespect to the bigman himself, is Davie Cooper a classic example of somebody who was seen as a better player, due to his early death? Or was he genuinly one of the greatest wingers Scotland, or mankind has ever produced? My reason for questioning this is that I was discussing overrated players with a few pals who support other Scottish clubs, and was shocked to hear Cooper's name being thrown into the ring. I had been brought up with the knowledge that Davie Cooper was perhaps the most talented Ranger ever to play for us.

Of course, i'd expected that Davie had won more trophies that I could dream of! A club like Rangers, so used to winning on a yearly basis, must of had one of their best ever players decorated head to foot in trophies. But I only found out when I was a little older that Davie was a member of one of the worst Rangers sides in history for years, and that we regularly struggled to beat the likes of Aberdeen, Dundee United and the dhims.

I've asked my father on his opinion of Davie, and whether or not his regard for Davie was enhanced by his untimely and tragic death...and he said no. Apparently Davie came close to playing 400 times for us, and when he played he was outstanding. So much so that Ruud put him in his greatest ever XI. But i've also been informed that he could be one of the most inconsistent players around, putting in world class performances one week, and barely touching the ball the next. Was that just Davie, or just the curse of inconsistency that plagues most wingers?

Also why was Davie barely capped for Scotland?

This post is in no way meant to taint, or damage Davie Cooper's reputation. But honestly, what were your thoughts on apparently the greatest Ranger, i'll never get to see play

[*Manticore* 1,893]

He was a brilliant talent, but he could be inconsistent and moody.

A lot of that might be down to him often playing in pretty poor sides. I reckon his trophy count is.

Who could forget this though, have we ever scored a better goal against them?

[RFC55 109,746]

As a Rangers fan who was born in the Souness-era, I never had the pleasure of watching Davie Cooper play in the flesh. It is near the top of a list of things i'd wish for. Our fans adored him, many elsewhere didn't however.

Without any disrespect to the bigman himself, is Davie Cooper a classic example of somebody who was seen as a better player, due to his early death? Or was he genuinly one of the greatest wingers Scotland, or mankind has ever produced? My reason for questioning this is that I was discussing overrated players with a few pals who support other Scottish clubs, and was shocked to hear Cooper's name being thrown into the ring. I had been brought up with the knowledge that Davie Cooper was perhaps the most talented Ranger ever to play for us.

Of course, i'd expected that Davie had won more trophies that I could dream of! A club like Rangers, so used to winning on a yearly basis, must of had one of their best ever players decorated head to foot in trophies. But I only found out when I was a little older that Davie was a member of one of the worst Rangers sides in history for years, and that we regularly struggled to beat the likes of Aberdeen, Dundee United and the dhims.

I've asked my father on his opinion of Davie, and whether or not his regard for Davie was enhanced by his untimely and tragic death...and he said no. Apparently Davie came close to playing 400 times for us, and when he played he was outstanding. So much so that Ruud put him in his greatest ever XI. But i've also been informed that he could be one of the most inconsistent players around, putting in world class performances one week, and barely touching the ball the next. Was that just Davie, or just the curse of inconsistency that plagues most wingers?

Also why was Davie barely capped for Scotland?

This post is in no way meant to taint, or damage Davie Cooper's reputation. But honestly, what were your thoughts on apparently the greatest Ranger, i'll never get to see play

Tbh mate the capped by Scotland bit i wouldnt worry about, there is loads of players that have less caps than they should and i will fire in the goalie to that category. Its strange that this country does this and we are left with players who you would think should automatically be in the starting 11 yet barely even make squads. Even some of our 9in a row team were the same. Davie Robertson was a player who never got the caps his talent deserved.

[markybear 136]

Similar to the OP I was born (under a union jack) in 1984 and as such I never seen him play with rangers.

Would be nice to hear from the older bears who seen him play in the flesh and their thoughts on this

[MosesMcNeil 1,664]

Or was he genuinly one of the greatest wingers Scotland, or mankind has ever produced?

I've seen Cooper play for The Rangers on hundreds of occasions. He was a genius fitba player.

Anyone who thinks differently? They could not have watched him play, know fuck all about fitba or is otherwise known as Stevie Wonder.

As Graeme Souness observed: “I always believed that Davie cooper was a more naturally gifted player than even the great Kenny Dalglish. And that is high praise."

[frankieboy 0]

Tremendous talent,some of the things he did with a ball where truely amazing,but he had a fall out with Greig and seemed to lose the love of the game he had until Souness came,then we saw the real Coopper again,god bless him.

[DietofWorms 2,067]

Davie Cooper was my hero when I was young, sometimes the only shining light in some dark days supporting the Bears. He could have walked away to England and perhaps more money and 'better teams' but he stayed and fought our corner. He could be magical and yes, frustrating but he was ours.

[weedurranty 28]

I agree that he could be moody and inconsistant. my fav Davie Cooper moment was the goal vs Aberdeen from a free kick when he almost burst a hole in the net. I remember you could pick up the sound on the telly of the ball ripping the mesh. Classic.

[frankieboy 0]

I agree that he could be moody and inconsistant. my fav Davie Cooper moment was the goal vs Aberdeen from a free kick when he almost burst a hole in the net. I remember you could pick up the sound on the telly of the ball ripping the mesh. Classic.

I remember reading something Cooper said later,it was something like this,"Leighton said to me I almost got that,I replied,aye on the way out" brilliant and sadly missed.

[thedarvelmarvel 796]

davie had a wonderful talent and during the bad years it would have been a lot worse without him.he started on the right wing to replace tommy mclean then ted mcminn came in so davey played on the left to replace john mcdonald he was originaly called ,moody blue but souness got the best out off him, no doubt

[markybear 136]

I remember reading something Cooper said later,it was something like this,"Leighton said to me I almost got that,I replied,aye on the way out" brilliant and sadly missed.

I have read that qoute b4. Superb

Rip davie

[Misteral 2,932]

As others have pointed out he was a moody guy and sometimes he wouldn't really get into games. But when he did he was the most talented and exciting player I've have ever seen playing for Rangers. I was there at the Dryborough Cup Final and couldn't stop thinking about or talking about that goal for ages. Genius.

[Ozblue 4,331]

Anybody who says that Cooper was not a brilliant player on his day is either jealous, blind or knows fuck all about what makes a football player.

Like all players with that amount of skill, Cooper was infuriating at times when he seemed as if he couldn't give a fuck about what he was doing...But that's because everybody expects them to be a genius 100% of the time.

Davie Cooper was a genius...end of story.

[Doc_Gorman 3]

Ruud Gullit said Cooper was the most gifted footballer he had ever played against.

Gullit new a wee bit about talent.

[devref 201]

no enigma with coop.before he came to us he alone held us off when he played at clydebank and memory is right a scotish cup game for 2replays and we signed him after that the man was magic left foot that could pick out a blade of grass if asked and many of his team asked him to do that and still missed out on his delivery fully entrusted as an ibrox hero/legend

[deleteduser1 169]

Ruud Gullit said Cooper was the most gifted footballer he had ever played against.

Gullit new a wee bit about talent.

This

[docspiderman 1,254]

Davie Cooper was a footballing genius and one of the long line of top class wingers that we used to be famous for playing.

He had difficult times with us; John Greig used to give him dogs abuse on the pitch and when he became manager Davie was in and out of the team,not good for a winger, because Greig either did not like him or did not rate him.

It was when Greig resigned as manager that Coops career got back on track as he proved with us and then Motheerwell what a talent he was.Strange how he was described as dour and moody when most players referred to his great dry sense of humour.

[thebooler 4,509]

Davie was called "the moody blue" for a reason.

There were times he would frustrate the hell out of us with his "couldnae care less attitude" and he did look uninterested at times.

I sometimes got the impression watching Davie that he got frustrated at the players around him.

He always seemed to be a move ahead of even his own team mates.

If we were all the same, the world would be a boring place.

Davie was a genius as a footballer, a step ahead of nearly everybody else on the park, and a very popular guy amongst his peers.

Being a bit moody, or down in the dumps at times, changes this not one iota.

[DarcheVinny 1,003]

Good to read posts above bout davie, I am another too young to see him and I know I missed out on a lot my dad has told me

[markybear 136]

Was it Walter that said " you have to live with the genius but the genius doesn't have to live with u"

Seems appropriate some how with Davie and the moodiness described by some folk

[thebooler 4,509]

Was it Walter that said " you have to live with the genius but the genius doesn't have to live with u"

Seems appropriate some how with Davie and the moodiness described by some folk

That wiz Gazza he wiz talkin aboot when he said that.

Davie never at any time gave his Manager any cause for concern in the behavioural department.

[iain1712 336]

As for the Scotland cap situation

*please note in no way whatsoever am I comparing the great man with this fud*

think of mcfaddyen and Scotland just now

succesive Scottish managers just wouldn't pick him due to his lack of defensive skills

and was also at that drybourough cup final anybody else remember sandy jardine's goal that day

[Ibroxin83 0]

Davie Cooper is the most talented football player i have ever seen, there is no doubt about that.

If football was like then what it is like now he would have been the player the whole world wanted to see, he would have been talked about in the same breaths as Messi, Ronaldo, etc etc.

when you here commentators talk about the best in the world they talk about why it only takes a moment of magic for ****** to change the game, that is what Davie Cooper gave us.

i wish everyone could have watched him play but i am glad i had the pleasure on numerous occasions.

[TravelingWilBEARy 4,319]

Saw him play a couple of times for Motherwell against us.

I remember at Ibrox he skinned one of our players on the byline (Stevens I think) and everyone around me in the Copland Rear jumped out their seats and roared him on.

Very surreal.

[BLUEDIGNITY 33,684]

As a Rangers fan who was born in the Souness-era, I never had the pleasure of watching Davie Cooper play in the flesh. It is near the top of a list of things i'd wish for. Our fans adored him, many elsewhere didn't however.

Without any disrespect to the bigman himself, is Davie Cooper a classic example of somebody who was seen as a better player, due to his early death? Or was he genuinly one of the greatest wingers Scotland, or mankind has ever produced? My reason for questioning this is that I was discussing overrated players with a few pals who support other Scottish clubs, and was shocked to hear Cooper's name being thrown into the ring. I had been brought up with the knowledge that Davie Cooper was perhaps the most talented Ranger ever to play for us.

Of course, i'd expected that Davie had won more trophies that I could dream of! A club like Rangers, so used to winning on a yearly basis, must of had one of their best ever players decorated head to foot in trophies. But I only found out when I was a little older that Davie was a member of one of the worst Rangers sides in history for years, and that we regularly struggled to beat the likes of Aberdeen, Dundee United and the dhims.

I've asked my father on his opinion of Davie, and whether or not his regard for Davie was enhanced by his untimely and tragic death...and he said no. Apparently Davie came close to playing 400 times for us, and when he played he was outstanding. So much so that Ruud put him in his greatest ever XI. But i've also been informed that he could be one of the most inconsistent players around, putting in world class performances one week, and barely touching the ball the next. Was that just Davie, or just the curse of inconsistency that plagues most wingers?

Also why was Davie barely capped for Scotland?

This post is in no way meant to taint, or damage Davie Cooper's reputation. But honestly, what were your thoughts on apparently the greatest Ranger, i'll never get to see play

We are not talking about a player who played in the fuckin dark ages ????? There is plenty of footage, video etc, of the man. So do me a favour and watch him.