Thanks to Dave Rowntree for many of the player images after 1984.
Can you help? This page is the result of the best endeavours of all concerned. If you spot a mistake or know of facts to add, or have a better photo, please get in touch using 'Contact Us' (top, right).
GEORGE COOPER
Full Name: George Iain Cooper
Born: 30 October 1996
1. Came from: Peterborough United Went to: Peterborough United
1. First game: 31 August 2019 Last game: 07 March 2020
2. Came from: Peterborough United Went to: Chesterfield
2. First game: 05 September 2020 Last game: 05 December 2021
Appearances: 51 (39/12) Goals: 5
Warrington-born Cooper became the last part of manager Ryan Lowe's new Argyle assembly for the 2019-20 season when he joined on a season-long loan from Peterborough United, just before the summer transfer deadline.
The versatile midfielder began his career at the famed Crewe Alexandra youth academy, making his first team debut at the age of 17 in the Football League Trophy in September 2014, with his full League debut coming later that month. In the 2016-17 season he played twice against Argyle, with the Pilgrims winning each game 2-1. In the first of those encounters he won a penalty at Gresty Road after he was brought down by David Fox, but his spot-kick was well saved by Luke McCormick. Also alongside him in the Crewe line-up that season was Ryan Lowe, towards the end of the future Argyle manager's playing career.
In January 2018, after 142 appearances for the Railwaymen, Cooper signed for Peterborough United on a three-and-a-half-year deal. As a 77th minute substitute he scored 7 minutes into his debut for the Posh, his first of 34 League One games over the following 16 months, and then was allowed to head for Home Park to join up with Lowe again for the Pilgrims' promotion push.
In a peculiar quirk of names for the 2019-20 season he became Argyle's second Cooper (with 'keeper Mike) in a squad that boasted three Grants (Joel, Josh and Conor) and two Moores (Tafari and Byron).
Cooper's loan season at Home Park was sadly cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, but his performances on the left side of midfield were one of the stand-out features of the promotion-winning campaign. Having impressed with his telling crosses and 12 assists, his March departure after the final game of the season (when he scored twice) was a sad moment for the Home Park faithful. In early September 2020, three days before the start of the new campaign and after prolonged negotiations with Peterborough, the very welcome news came that the 23-year-old had signed a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee, becoming Ryan Lowe's seventh signing of the summer.
Having re-joined Argyle, his permanent stint was more challenging and often blighted by injury. He was unable to recapture his promotion-season form, making only ten league starts for the 2020-21 campaign and just three appearances the following season, the last of which being in a televised FA Cup game at Rochdale in December 2021. In June 2022, with his fitness still an issue, Cooper's contract was cancelled by mutual consent and he subsequently joined National League Chesterfield on a free transfer.
He started the 2022–2023 season with the Spireites but struggled to maintain a regular first-team place. After only eight league appearances for them, he was released and signed for Northern Premier League Premier Division club Warrington Rylands in his home town, principally to play on an ad-hoc basis whilst training with the club to keep fit. Cooper had a house near their stadium and also owned a sandwich bar business in the town. In total he played seven times for Rylands.
Then in June 2023, Cooper moved to Melbourne, Australia to sign for National Premier League Victoria 2 club, Preston Lions, in the third tier of the overall Australian league system.
YOUR CONTRIBUTION
If you can add to this profile, perhaps with special memories, a favourite story or the results of your original research, please contribute here.
APPEARANCE DETAILS [reselect competitions]
The details below reflect appearances in all first-team competitions.
I'm very grateful to many who have helped write GoS-DB's player pen-pictures, and to Dave Rowntree, the PAFC Media Team and Colin Parsons for their help with photos. Thanks also to staff at the National Football Museum, the Scottish Football Museum and ScotlandsPeople for their valuable assistance.
The following publications have been particularly valuable in the research of pen-pictures: Plymouth Argyle, A Complete Record 1903-1989 (Brian Knight, ISBN 0-907969-40-2); Plymouth Argyle, 101 Golden Greats (Andy Riddle, ISBN 1-874287-47-3); Football League Players' Records 1888-1939 (Michael Joyce, ISBN 1-899468-67-6); Football League Players' Records 1946-1988 (Barry Hugman, ISBN 1-85443-020-3) and Plymouth Argyle Football Club Handbooks.
Greens on Screen is run as a service to fellow supporters, in all good faith, without commercial or private gain. I have no wish to abuse copyright regulations and apologise unreservedly if this occurs. If you own any of the material used on this site, and object to its inclusion, please get in touch using the 'Contact Us' button at the top of each page.