Liam Cooper left Leeds United after 10 years and did something nobody expected | OneFootball

Liam Cooper's brief time in Bulgaria after leaving Leeds United still feels like a bit of a fever dream

Sheffield Wednesday centre-back Liam Cooper's career has, for the most part, been Yorkshire-based.

The 19-capped Scottish international came through the Hull City academy. Had a loan at Huddersfield Town before moving to Chesterfield, which is only 13 miles south of Sheffield, and then spent a decade at boyhood club Leeds United following his departure from the Spireites.

Cooper's time at Elland Road saw him grow from being a player brought in to a mid-table Championship side with little ambition at the time to captaining the club to the Premier League in 2020.

He was one of the main beneficiaries of Marcelo Bielsa's time at Leeds, who transformed him into a top-flight defender, and his leadership skills and love for the club made him somewhat of a cult hero amongst the fans.

Now, he's back in Yorkshire, and in South Yorkshire for the first time with Sheffield Wednesday, but not after a bit of a peculiar detour first.

Liam Cooper's final years at Leeds United before joining CSKA Sofia

Action Images

Cooper struggled with niggling injuries during his final years at Leeds. He made 25 appearances in the 2020/21 Premier League campaign, 21 the following year and 18 the year after that, which ended in relegation.

It was only really the latter year that the Whites captain was used as an unused substitute at times. Before, if he was fit, he started. As Leeds transitioned into their new era under Daniel Farke, though, he began to move into a leadership off-the-field role.

He injured himself scoring on the opening day against Cardiff City, a goal which helped spur a comeback, and when he came back, Leeds had loaned in Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Joe Rodon.

His partnership with Pascal Struijk ended up being Farke's first choice, and even when the latter got injured on Boxing Day and missed the rest of the season, midfielder Ethan Ampadu dropped into the backline next to his compatriot.

Cooper made just two league and play-off appearances from February until the end of the season, and with his contract up, he was bound to leave, but his destination, CSKA Sofia, wouldn't have been where many expected him to go.

Liam Cooper's year at CSKA Sofia

Action Images

Cooper quickly became one of the main leaders at CSKA Sofia, like he was at Leeds and Chesterfield before that. By his third league game, he was wearing the captain's armband.

He stayed fit for the majority of the campaign, too, only missing three games through injury in February. He made 21 appearances in the Bulgarian top-flight, but the record title holders only finished fifth - their lowest league finish since 2014/15.

Their main focus as the season went on quickly turned to the Bulgarian Cup, which saw Sofia lose in the final 1-0 against Ludogorets, who would end up achieving the domestic treble that year.

Cooper, despite featuring in three of the five games to help get the club to the final, was an unused substitute.

Liam Cooper left CSKA Sofia and joined Sheffield Wednesday in administration

Action Images

After that sole campaign in Bulgaria, Cooper agreed to a cancellation of his contract on the eve of the 2025/26 season kicking off back in England, making him a free agent once more for the second summer running.

The veteran centre-back would remain that way for over three months before an administration-stricken Sheffield Wednesday used one of the two free transfers that they were given by the EFL to sign him.

He made his debut in the Steel City derby against Sheffield United, coincidentally the same game that fellow Leeds promotion-winner Patrick Bamford made his Blades bow in, and provided useful cover and much-needed experience during a really dire time at Hillsborough.

Unfortunately, injury issues reared their head, and a groin issue curtailed Cooper's campaign in February. With the Owls moving into a new era under the Arise ownership and the defender turning 35 in late August, it was interesting to see whether he'd be offered a new deal.

Liam Cooper's leadership led to a new deal being offered by Sheffield Wednesday this past summer

Action Images

Indeed, that new deal was offered, and Cooper signed on for one more season at Hillsborough, helping oversee their new era under fresh ownership in League One.

Ironically, despite being given the nickname 'League One Liam' by certain discouraged Leeds fans during his time at Elland Road, this is his first permanent contract with a third-tier side, with spells at Carlisle United and Huddersfield being loans.

It'll be expected that, once Wednesday can get the likes of Ricardo Santos, Di'Shon Bernard and Earnie Weaver back to speed, Cooper will transition into more of a leader off the field once again, as he enters the twilight years of his career.

And, ultimately, that would be a fitting end to what has been a career centred around being a strong leader and providing grit at the back across the EFL and the Premier League...and the Bulgarian first division, too.