 He helped Derby to finish second in the Second Division in 1925–26 and second in the First Division in 1929–30.Born in Stoke-on-Trent, Cooper played for Longton and then Trentham, before being bought by Port Vale for £20 in August 1924.He played 21 Second Division matches in the 1924–25 season, but featured just 11 times in the 1925–26 campaign.