Peter Cooper, the former Daily Mirror, Sunday Express and Sunday Times sports writer and broadcaster, has died after a long illness, aged 77.
Cooper died from bronchiopneumonia and bowel cancer at a nursing home with his three sons by his side.
One of Cooper’s sons, journalist Jonathan, said to HoldTheFrontPage.co.uk: “Dad taught us to love football before allegiances to teams and he was never afraid to ask the big questions in his job.
“Wherever he went he developed friendships with backroom staff, football club managers and fans, and players including Jack Charlton and Billy Bremner. Dad was a huge talent – he was the job.”
Cooper’s career had begun in 1949 on the Morning Telegraph, Sheffield, and after a spell on the city’s Star, Cooper started working on the nationals, spending 25 years at the Mirror, until 1985, when he began freelancing for the Sunday papers and continued to broadcast on BBC Radio Sheffield and Yorkshire TV.
Dennis Lound, The Star‘s former photographic editor, said: “Peter was one of the all time greats of pen to paper – something that is very rare these days.
“He was a lovely man and I’m pleased to have been around when he was.”