Express & Star

Former Villa midfielder Neale Cooper passes away

Ex-Villa midfielder Neale Cooper has died, his former club Aberdeen have confirmed.

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The Scottish former player and manager was rushed to hospital in Aberdeen after being found in the stairwell of flats in the city over the weekend.

Cooper, who was 54, featured 20 times for Villa between 1986 and 1988.

He was part of Graham Taylor's squad that secured promotion back to the top flight in 1987/88.

Villa signed Cooper from Aberdeen, where he spent seven years and made more than 100 appearances. He was a regular visitor to the Pittodrie Stadium.

Cooper won two Scottish top flight titles with Aberdeen as well as the European Super Cup and Cup Winners' Cup under Alex Ferguson.

After leaving Villa he featured for Rangers and Reading and Dunfermline.

Cooper later managed Ross County, and spent two spells in charge of Hartlepool United.