Yesterday marked the 25th anniversary of Davie Cooper’s death and the Rangers icon drew tributes from far and wide – with Dutch legend Ruud Gullit also joining in the chorus of voices remembering Coop.
Gullit played against Cooper as a youngster and “never forgot” the winger’s talents, and named him as one of the best players he ever came up against.
The Dutchman believes it was a “pity” Cooper never plied his trade outside of Scotland, insisting he would have been “unbelievable.”
I played against him when I was a young kid,” Gullit said in a video posted by Rangers.
“We were invited, with Feyenoord, to play a friendly in Scotland, and then I saw this amazing left foot.
“I always remembered him, never forgot him. I was always wondering where he was.
“And when people asked me later on ‘Who were the best players that you’ve met and played against?’, then Davie Cooper was one of them.
“It’s a pity that he never could show those skills abroad, maybe in other competitions. England, for instance, or Italy, because he would be unbelievable.
“So, it’s 25 years ago already, and we have to celebrate him. Davie Cooper forever.”
Cooper made 540 appearances for the Gers, winning three titles, three Scottish Cups and seven League Cups over a twelve-year spell at Ibrox.
After leaving to sign for Motherwell in 1989, Coop would go on to achieve legendary status at Fir Park after helping the Steelmen lift the 1991 Scottish Cup.
Few will argue that 25 years on from his death there are few – if any – Scottish players since who have come close to Cooper’s ability.