Source: Northern_Echo
New boss Cooper out to rebuild reputation
MARK Cooper became Darlington's latest manager yesterday and immediately vowed to stay for the duration of his contract as he bids to rebuild his own status in the game.[LNB] The 41-year-old was installed as a replacement for Ryan Kidd, who resigned on Monday only 12 days after being appointed as successor to Simon Davey.[LNB] While Quakers' name has been tarnished in recent weeks thanks to two shock resignations, Cooper's own reputation was harmed during an ill-fated spell at Peterborough United last season.[LNB] A disagreement with the Posh hierarchy led to him being sacked in January after only 76 days in the job.[LNB] After enjoying successful spells outside the Football League at Tamworth and Kettering, Cooper is out to restore his standing.[LNB] He said: I'd carved out a really good reputation for myself at Kettering and was linked with lots of League One and League Two jobs.[LNB] The compensation was always an issue at Kettering.[LNB] Clubs would come in for me and the chairman wouldn't do a deal but out of the blue I ended up going to Peterborough in the Championship.[LNB] At the time that was probably the wrong job for me but I couldn't turn down the chance to manage in the Championship.[LNB] So I've got to build that reputation back up again and I'm sure I will at Darlington.[LNB] The new boss has signed a one-year contract and brings with him former Worcester City boss Richard Dryden, who was also his assistant at Tamworth.[LNB] Dryden was a defender with various clubs including Exeter City, Bristol City and Southampton where he played alongside Neil Maddison who now works in Quakers' youth section.[LNB] Wakefield-born midfielder Cooper spent much of his career in the lower leagues and is no stranger to the North- East having spent 18 months with Hartlepool United in the mid-1990s, scoring nine goals in 31 games.[LNB] He also spent some of his childhood in the region as his father, Terry, played for Middlesbrough in the 1970s.[LNB] He first cut his teeth as a manager in 2004 at Tamworth who he twice took to the third round of the FA Cup but that success was not matched in the league and he left in 2007 with the club bottom of the Conference.[LNB] Cooper went on to take Kettering to the Conference North title in 2008 and the following season he came to national prominence thanks to more FA Cup exploits.[LNB] The Poppies reached the fourth round, losing to Fulham, and they finished eighth in the Conference. He was offered the Peterborough job last November, just weeks after he led his side to an FA Cup win at Hartlepool.[LNB] Cooper arrives at Darlington three months after turning the club down when chairman Raj Singh was looking to fill the managerial vacancy created by Steve Staunton's sacking.[LNB] I spoke to Darlington a few months ago, but for one reason or another it never materialised I'm pleased to be here now and looking forward to getting started, said Cooper, who lives in Birmingham and plans to move to the North-East.[LNB] Myself and Richard have signed one-year contracts.[LNB] That's what we agreed with the chairman and hopefully we're going to win some games of football and if the option is there to extend it then why not.[LNB] I managed in the Championship last season but I always said I wasn't too big to drop back into non-league.[LNB] I wanted to get back into work and the longer you're out the more you wonder if you're going to get back in because there's always new managers coming on to the scene.[LNB] The most important thing for me was going to a club that is progressing, that has a good fanbase and a real intention of getting into the Football League. I wouldn't have gone to a non-league club that was happy to be in the Blue Square.[LNB] I've been linked to two or three jobs and I just wanted to get back into work because it's a case of having to join a queue when you're out of the game.[LNB] You have to wait until it's your time and I was thinking I would have to wait until sacking season, September, until I got back in. But then something happened out of the blue at Darlington.[LNB] After being turned down in March by Cooper, Singh instead turned to Davey and the former Barnsley manager was well on the way to building a squad at The Northern Echo Arena before abandoning Quakers and taking over at Hereford United.[LNB] He has left Cooper with a 17-man squad and, while admitting he must add three or four players, the manager believes Davey has given him something to work with.[LNB] He did not rule out signing players from his previous clubs and admitted being keen on Peterborough defender Exodus Geohaghon, but he is likely join Southend United in League Two.[LNB] Cooper said: To be fair to Simon he trimmed the squad well and brought some decent players in, I must say that.[LNB] He's done very well with his additions and the way he's pieced the squad together.[LNB] I'm aware that Darlington did well at the end of the season under Simon. They scored some good goals and had some good results like the one at Rochdale.[LNB] When you see the way things unfolded you think something must have gone off there but that's finished now, I'm not worried about anything that has gone on so let's crack on.[LNB]
