Chay Cooper
 Chay Cooper warming up for Hartlepool United | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Chay Cooper[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 17 November 2001[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Harlow, England[3] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Chelmsford City | ||
| Number | 8 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2011–2016 | Southend United | ||
| 2016–2021 | Tottenham Hotspur | ||
| 2020–2021 | → Southend United (loan) | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021–2024 | Colchester United | 12 | (3) |
| 2023 | → St Albans City (loan) | 22 | (6) |
| 2024 | → Hartlepool United (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| 2024–2026 | Braintree Town | 81 | (6) |
| 2026– | Chelmsford City | 0 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 00:32, 26 April 2026 (UTC) | |||
Chay Cooper (born 17 November 2001) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for National League South side Chelmsford City.
Career
[edit]Cooper began playing for Southend United at the age of 10. Towards the end of the 2016–17 season, he joined Tottenham Hotspur from Southend as a scholar.[4] He was loaned back to Southend to play in their Under-23 team to get some game time in October 2020.[5]
At the end of the 2020–21 season, Cooper was released by Tottenham. After featuring in a number of pre-season friendlies for Colchester United's Under-23 side, he signed a deal with the club on 3 September 2021.[4]
On 28 September 2021, Cooper made his first-team debut for Colchester, starting in their 1–0 EFL Trophy victory against West Ham United Under-21s.[6] In Cooper's Football League debut, he came off the bench to score the second goal away at Hartlepool United which Colchester won 2–0.[7] On 2 February 2023, Cooper joined National League South club St Albans City on loan until the end of the season.[8] His goal in a match against Harrogate Town was voted as Colchester's Goal of the Season for the 2023–24 season.[9]
On 16 February 2024, Cooper signed for National League club Hartlepool United on loan.[10]
In June 2024, Cooper turned down a new contract at Colchester and opted to sign for newly promoted National League side Braintree Town instead.[11]
On 1 June 2026, Cooper signed for National League South club Chelmsford City.[12]
Career statistics
[edit]- As of match played 25 April 2026
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Colchester United | 2021–22[13] | League Two | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| 2022–23[14] | League Two | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2023–24[14] | League Two | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[a] | 1 | 15 | 3 | |
| Total | 12 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 21 | 4 | ||
| St Albans City (loan) | 2022–23[15] | National League South | 22 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 22 | 6 | |
| Hartlepool United (loan) | 2023–24[15] | National League | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| Braintree Town | 2024–25[15] | National League | 43 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | 5[b] | 2 | 49 | 6 | |
| 2025–26[15] | National League | 38 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | 6[c] | 2 | 46 | 5 | ||
| Total | 81 | 6 | 3 | 1 | — | 11 | 4 | 95 | 11 | |||
| Career total | 124 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 5 | 147 | 21 | ||
- 1 2 Appearances in EFL Trophy
- ↑ Appearances in National League Cup
- ↑ Five appearances and two goals in National League Cup, one appearance in FA Trophy
References
[edit]- ↑ "EFL Squad List 2021/22 & U21 Registered Contract Players" (PDF). EFL.com. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
- ↑ Chay Cooper at Soccerbase
- ↑ Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.
- 1 2 Waldron, Jonathan (3 September 2021). "Colchester United sign former Spurs youngster Chay Cooper". Daily Gazette. Colchester. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
- ↑ Phillips, Chris (22 October 2020). "Chay Cooper returns to Southend United under 23s from Tottenham Hotspur to get game time". Echo. Basildon. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
- ↑ "Colchester vs West Ham United U21". Sky Sports. 28 September 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
- ↑ "Hartlepool United 0–2 Colchester United". BBC Sport. 7 May 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
- ↑ "CHAY COOPER ARRIVES". St Albans City. 2 February 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
- ↑ "Read Scoops POTY Awards". Colchester United FC. 30 April 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ↑ "Chay Cooper joins on loan". Hartlepool United FC. 16 February 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ↑ "Chay Cooper has left Colchester United for Braintree Town". Colchester Gazette. 26 June 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
- ↑ "Welcome to Chelmsford City Chay Cooper!". Chelmsford City F.C. 1 June 2026. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
- ↑ "Games played by Chay Cooper in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
- 1 2 "Games played by Chay Cooper in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- 1 2 3 4 "C. Cooper". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
External links
[edit]- Chay Cooper at Soccerway
- Living people
- 2001 births
- English men's footballers
- Footballers from Harlow
- Men's association football midfielders
- Southend United F.C. players
- Tottenham Hotspur F.C. players
- Colchester United F.C. players
- St Albans City F.C. players
- Hartlepool United F.C. players
- Braintree Town F.C. players
- Chelmsford City F.C. players
- English Football League players
- 21st-century English sportsmen