Thought your guys might like a read of this My Club: Terry Cooper Monday, April 20th 2020 The former England and Leeds United full-back ended his playing career at Ashton Gate and managed the club during its fight back from near extinction in 1982 – taking the Robins to Wembley for the first time in their history. I was at Middlesbrough, nearing the end of my playing career, when I got a phone call from my old Leeds United team-mate the late Norman Hunter, who was then in Bristol City’s team, to say that manager Alan Dicks was looking for a left-back. Did I fancy joining him at Ashton Gate? That call changed the course of my life. When I discussed it with my wife Rose, she reasonably pointed out that I was 34 and it would mean uprooting to go to the other end of the country when our kids were settled at school. I don’t know why, but I just fancied it and agreed terms in no time when I came down to speak to the club. Along with the family, I ended up spending the next 13 years in the Bristol and never regretted moving to such a lovely city. Unfortunately, I didn’t play much because of problems with an Achilles tendon, but I still enjoyed being involved at what was then a top-flight club with a fantastic spirit and a good team. Little did I know then that I would return as manager in 1982 after launching that part of my career at Bristol Rovers with so little experience that I contrived to cock them up completely! I did learn a lot from that 18 months, however, and was more prepared for the role when City came calling. Director Bob Boyd, who ran the schoolboy team my son Mark played for, was first to ask if I fancied the job. The club had survived almost going out of business a matter of months earlier and, although a new company had taken over, only a few players had signed on for the following season. It was like an artist being offered a blank canvas to work on. With virtually no money to spend, there was an entire team to build. I still told Bob that City would be brave to take me on as manager after what I had done at Rovers. Fortunately, I don’t think anyone else wanted the job! I agreed to take charge and brought in Clive Middlemass, who I had known since our early days as youngsters at Leeds, to be my assistant. Together we did almost everything, training, scouting, the laundry, and even acting as removal men for Alan Walsh when I signed him from Darlington. I reckoned there was only one way Bristol City could go after three successive relegation seasons, unless I was a complete imbecile. But I was wrong. By December of my first season in charge, we were bottom of the entire Football League. I made a comeback on the pitch as player-manager and, with Tom Ritchie and Chris Garland recruited to join John Shaw in what was basically a team of kids, the tide started to turn. Results improved and, with a few more signings in the summer, we went up the following season, thanks to there being four promotion places available. I’ll never forget during the coach trip home from Chester, where we clinched a place in the Third Division, seeing a car full of supporters with a big banner saying ‘Jesus Said Come Forth.’ And We Did. Two years later came the Freight Rover Trophy final at Wembley and the sight of 30,000 City fans cheering the lads on against Bolton Wanderers made it the most emotional occasion of my entire football career. I had played for England and in a great Leeds side, but this was the team Clive and I had built from nothing and seeing them grace Wembley with some fantastic football in a 3-0 win was too much for me. I choked up during a TV interview on the pitch after the game and couldn’t talk. Memories of that day remain so vivid and a couple of reunions in recent years have reminded me how special it was for players and supporters alike. I wish I could have won another promotion for the club, but I left it in good hands when Joe Jordan, a player I had signed thinking he might one day replace me as manager, did exactly that in 1988. We had gone close to reaching the Second Division on a couple of occasions and I was delighted when Joe achieved that aim in 1990. I still keep a close eye on results from my home in Tenerife and enjoy reminiscing with fans on trips to visit Mark at Forest Green Rovers. He loved growing up in Bristol and it’s always nice to hear long-standing City supporters speak fondly of those days back in the 1980s when the club was close-knit and united in its determination to become a force in English football again. https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/my-club-terry-cooper/
