Yeovil, Somerset 1982

Michael Cooper, from Wincanton, was a trainee at Exeter City from 1998 to 2000. He played youth and reserve football during that time and was also selected to play for an FA Youth XI against the Royal Navy at Portsmouth. He later played non-league football, became a PE teacher and coached in Britain and Australia.

He signed as a professional in summer 2000 and soon played in a first team pre-season friendly against Portsmouth before joining  Weston-super-Mare on loan.

Released by Exeter City in 2001, he was briefly at Yeovil Town before having a much longer spell at Salisbury City followed by time at Wincanton Town and Thatcham Town.

Whilst playing non-league football Michael qualified as a PE teacher from Chichester University and worked in a school in Reading prior to becoming an academy coach at Southampton and assistant manager at Salisbury before moving to Australia in 2013.

Working first as academy director at Newcastle Jets, he was then  director of sport at a college in New South Wales before working with Football Federation Australia where he became assistant coach of the national under-17 team. He was subsequently technical director of Football South Australia and coach of the national under-17's women's team.