Birthday milestone for a Torquay United legend and arguably the bravest ever!

Ninety goals in 271 appearances would be a perfectly fine record for any centre-forward, but they tell only a modest part of the story former Torquay United favourite Steve Cooper, who celebrated his 70th birthday on Sunday (writes Dave Thomas).

Having failed to break through as a teenager at Brighton & Hove Albion under Brian Clough, Cooper returned to his native West Midlands before United snapped him up from Southern League Stourbridge for £5,000.

General manager Frank O’Farrell was suitably impressed on a final scouting mission when, trying to keep the ball in play on a wet and windy night, Cooper slid off the pitch, demolished a breeze-block wall and, as first-aiders rushed to help, picked himself up and carried on as if nothing had happened.

He played in exactly the same vein when he got to Plainmoor.

For Gulls fans in the late 1970s and early 1980s there have been few, if any, No.9s to match the tireless, fearless, spring-heeled player who led the Plainmoor attack over seven entertaining years under Mike Green and Bruce Rioch.

At first in tandem with Les Lawrence and then Jackie Gallagher, Cooper made the lives of countless centre-halves a misery.

His greatest gifts were his athleticism, stamina, aerial ability and a bravery that often made you wince.

Over the course of two years 1978-80 Cooper and Lawrence scored 71 goals between them in the old Fourth Division.

Cooper only ever saw the ball, and his only objective was to get it over the goalline, anyhow.

As his reputation spread, several higher clubs wanted to buy him. But, to the frustration of them and United chairman Tony Boyce, Cooper turned them all down.

He was only 29 when he was released by Dave Webb at the end of the 1983-84 season, but his battered body, especially his ankles, were of an older man.

Still he didn’t give up, dropping down to play part-time for Saltash United, Teignmouth and finally Newton 66 in the South Devon League.

He ran a pub near Exeter, spent some time in Spain and now lives in retirement in Exeter.

Happy 70th, ‘Coops’!