Neale Cooper

Neale James Cooper (24 November 1963 – 28 May 2018) was a Scottish football player and coach. He was born in Darjeeling, India to Scottish parents. He was raised in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Cooper played as a midfielder during the 1980s and 1990s, mainly for the Aberdeen team managed by Alex Ferguson. He later played for Aston Villa, Rangers, Reading, Dunfermline Athletic and Ross County. 

Cooper then became a coach, and worked as a manager in England with Hartlepool United and Gillingham, and in Scotland with Ross County and Peterhead.

On 28 May 2018 it was reported that Cooper was in a critical condition after being found collapsed in the stairwell of flats in Aberdeen. He died later that day of suspected cardiac arrest, aged 54.

 Career statistics 

 Club 

 Appearances and goals by club, season and competition 
ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupEuropeOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAberdeen1978-79Scottish Premier Division00000000 - -001979-8000000000 - -001980-8160100010 - -801981-82273518160 - -4651982-83312517090 - -5231983-84260618090 - -4911984-85201500020 - -2711985-86230504060 - -380Total1336273271330--22010Aston Villa1986-87First Division130210000 - -1511987-88Second Division700000 - - - -701988-89First Division00000000 - -00Total200210000--221Rangers1988-89Scottish Premier Division141201000 - -1711989-9030000000 - -30Total171201000--201Reading1991-92Third Division700020 - - - -90Total700020----90Dunfermline Athletic1991-92Scottish Premier Division2102000 - - - -2301992-93Scottish First Division3310020 - - - -3511993-943020000 - - - -3021994-951501020 - - - -1801995-96400010 - -1060Total10333050--101123Ross County1996-97Scottish Third Division400010 - - - -501997-98100000 - - - -101998-99000000 - - - -00Total500010----60Career total285103443613301038915

Managerial statistics

TeamFromToRecordGWDLWin %Ross County1 July 199611 November 2002Hartlepool United26 June 20034 May 2005Gillingham21 May 200515 November 2005Peterhead10 January 200822 March 2011Hartlepool United28 December 201124 October 2012Total

Honours
Player
Aberdeen
Scottish Premier Division: 1983–84, 1984–85
Scottish Cup: 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1985–86
Scottish League Cup: 1985–86
European Cup Winners Cup: 1983
European Super Cup: 1983

Rangers
Scottish League Cup: 1988–89

Dunfermline Athletic
Scottish First Division: 1996

Manager
Ross County
Scottish Third Division: 1998–99
Scottish Second Division promotion: 1999–2000

Individual
Football League One Manager of the Month (at Hartlepool): January 2005

References

Category:1963 births
Category:2018 deaths
Category:Deaths from cardiac arrest
Category:Footballers from Aberdeen
Category:Reading F.C. players
Category:Scottish football managers