Charlie Cooper

Early life and career

Cooper is the son of former footballer Mark Cooper and grandson of England international Terry Cooper. He was born in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, while his father was a Hartlepool United player. The family later moved to the Midlands, where Cooper attended Alderbrook School in Solihull. He was noticed by representatives of Birmingham City when playing in a cup final, and joined their Academy in 2007. He took up a scholarship with the club in July 2013. Intervewed in early 2014, he assessed his strength as passing, and felt he needed to improve his heading.

Cooper signed his first professional contract, of two years, in May 2015. According to coach Steve Spooner, "Charlie is like the conductor of the orchestra; he sets the tone. He's learnt how to slow games down and speed games up. His range of passing has improved, as well as his goal scoring. And I think there is more to come from him in that area."

National League football

Cooper joined National League club Forest Green Rovers on a month's youth loan on 23 January 2016. He was an unused substitute for four matches before Birmingham recalled him. He was a member of the Birmingham reserve team that lost the 2016 Birmingham Senior Cup final to National League North champions Solihull Moors.

On 26 October of the following season, he was loaned to another National League club, this time York City. He went straight into the starting eleven for the next match, at home to Sutton United. According to Dave Flett of the York Press, Cooper "introduced some much-needed forward thrust" to the midfield as the match ended 2–2. He started four more matches, all in the league, before returning to Birmingham after one month.

On 9 December, Cooper rejoined Forest Green Rovers – who were by that time under his father's management – for another month. After he made five appearances during the month, Birmingham allowed the loan to be extended to the end of the season. He was a regular starter throughout his loan spell, and helped the club gain promotion to the Football League for the first time in the club's history.

League football with Forest Green Rovers

Birmingham had confirmed in March that Cooper would be released when his contract expired at the end of the season, and he signed a two-year contract with Forest Green on 15 June 2017. He made his Football League debut on the opening day of the 2017–18 season, in the starting eleven for the League Two visit of Barnet to The New Lawn. He took the corner kick from which Christian Doidge headed Forest Green's first Football League goal, and played the whole of the match, which finished 2–2. Cooper scored his first senior goal on 19 August, contributing Forest Green's third goal with a "speculative strike" as his team came back from 2–0 and 3–1 down to beat Yeovil Town 4–3 and record their first win in the Football League.

As of match played 22 September 2017

Forest Green Rovers

• National League play-offs: 2016–17