Willie Cooper Explained

Willie Cooper
Fullname:William Cooper
Birth Date:24 October 1909
Birth Place:Aberdeen, Scotland
Death Date:[1]
Death Place:Aberdeen, Scotland
Height:5ft 10in
Position:Full back
Years1:
Clubs1:Mugiemoss
Years2:1927–1948
Clubs2:Aberdeen
Caps2:331
Goals2:2
Nationalyears1:1934–1935
Nationalteam1:Scottish League XI
Nationalcaps1:2
Nationalgoals1:0

William Cooper (24 October 1909 – 18 May 1994) was a professional footballer who played as a full back for Aberdeen, his only club at the professional level.

Cooper played junior football with Mugiemoss before starting his professional career with Aberdeen in 1927. He played almost 400 official games for the club in a 20-year career which was temporarily halted by the Second World War in 1939 (he also made over 180 appearances in the unofficial regional competitions held during the conflict, several of which were won by the Dons, culminating in the nationwide 1946 Southern League Cup Final which his team won before a crowd of 135,000 at Hampden Park). After regular competitions resumed, Cooper played a large part in Aberdeen's 1946–47 Scottish Cup run but missed the final through injury; the Scottish Football Association gave Aberdeen permission to award him a winners' medal, despite him not playing on the day.[2] He had also collected runners-up medals from the Scottish Cup in 1937, and the Scottish League Cup in 1947.

He represented the Scottish League XI twice, before the war.[3]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[4]

ClubSeasonLeagueScottish CupLeague CupTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Aberdeen1927-28Scottish Division One2000--20
1928-293000--30
1929-3014000--140
1930-3120020--220
1931-3237010--380
1932-3334030--370
1933-3438240--422
1934-3538070--450
1935-3638050--430
1936-3737050--420
1937-3832040--360
1938-3914000--140
1939-403*000--3*0
1940-41Competitive Football Cancelled Due to WW2
1941-42
1942-43
1943-44
1944-45
1945-46
1946-47Scottish Division One1406190291
1947-4870000070
Total3312371903773
Career total3312371903773
*Games played before league season was suspended

Honours

Aberdeen

External links

Notes and References

  1. A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players. John Litster. Scottish Football Historian magazine. October 2012.
  2. Web site: Willie Cooper . AFC Heritage Trust . 4 June 2011.
  3. News: [SFL player] Willie Cooper]. 5 December 2011. Londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club.
  4. Web site: Aberdeen Football Club Heritage Trust - Player Profile . 2023-03-11 . afcheritage.org.