Ronnie Cope
English footballer and manager
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ronald Cope (5 October 1934 – 27 August 2016) was an English footballer from Crewe, Cheshire, who played as a centre half-back in the Football League for Manchester United and Luton Town.[1]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ronald Cope | ||
| Date of birth | 5 October 1934 | ||
| Place of birth | Crewe, Cheshire, England | ||
| Date of death | 27 August 2016 (aged 81) | ||
| Position | Centre half | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1950–1951 | Manchester United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1951–1961 | Manchester United | 93 | (2) |
| 1961–1963 | Luton Town | 28 | (0) |
| 1963–1968 | Northwich Victoria | ? | (10) |
| 1968–1969 | Winsford United | ? | (?) |
| 1968–1969 | Nantwich | ? | (1) |
| 1969–1971 | Northwich Victoria | ? | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1965–1966 | Northwich Victoria | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Cope played four times for England Schoolboys in 1950.[2] He joined Manchester United as an amateur in the same year, turned professional in 1951, and made his debut for the club on 29 September 1956 against Arsenal at Highbury.[3] However, he only gained a regular first-team place after the Munich air disaster.[4] He lost his first-team place to Bill Foulkes in October 1960,[citation needed] and left United for Luton Town in August 1961 on a £10,000 transfer. He left the professional scene two years later, although he continued to play at non-league level for Northwich Victoria and also served the Cheshire club as manager.[3]
His father, George, had played for Crewe Alexandra, and he was considered a stand-out player in the squad, always being where he was needed.[citation needed] Like his father, Cope also played Cheshire County League football for Nantwich.[5]
