Neale James Cooper was a Scottish football player and coach.
19 Facts About Neale Cooper
1.
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Neale Cooper played as a midfielder during the 1980s and 1990s, most prominently for the Aberdeen team managed by Alex Ferguson, and later played for Aston Villa, Rangers, Reading, Dunfermline Athletic and Ross County.
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Neale Cooper made only twenty league appearances in the next two years, partly because of injuries.
4.
In 1991, Neale Cooper signed for Reading, where he linked up with his former Aberdeen teammate Mark McGhee.
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Neale Cooper made seven league appearances in a brief stint with Reading, before he moved to Dunfermline Athletic.
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Neale Cooper guided the Staggies through two successful promotion campaigns climbing from the fourth to the second tier, before stepping down after a run of only one win in eleven games.
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Neale Cooper was a surprise choice of chairman Ken Hodcroft, but Cooper's strong Aberdeen links, with Pools owners IOR Ltd based in the Scottish city, helped his cause.
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Neale Cooper then drove back home to Aberdeen to be with his family after the game.
9.
Neale Cooper's side was a joy to watch as they embarked on a 12-game unbeaten run at the turn of the year with Adam Boyd and Joel Porter irresistible up front.
10.
In October 2006, Neale Cooper returned to Scottish football with Second Division Peterhead, as he took on the role of first team coach under the management of Steve Paterson.
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When Paterson left Peterhead in early 2008, Neale Cooper took over as manager.
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Peterhead struggled in the following season and Neale Cooper left the club in March 2011 with them sitting bottom of the Second Division table.
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On 28 December 2011, Neale Cooper was reappointed as manager of League One club Hartlepool United.
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Neale Cooper brought numerous talented young players into the Hartlepool first team with seven teenagers from the club's academy making their debuts.
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Neale Cooper is always held in the highest regard by Hartlepool fans.
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On 23 November 2012, Neale Cooper was appointed assistant manager of Ross County, by now a Scottish Premier League side, alongside Derek Adams.
17.
In November 2017, Neale Cooper was one of four inductees into the Aberdeen Hall of Fame.
18.
Neale Cooper was released by Liverpool in 2011 and has since played first team football for several clubs, mainly in Scotland.
19.
On 28 May 2018 it was reported that Neale Cooper was in a critical condition after being found collapsed in the stairwell of flats in Aberdeen.