We have often heard of the magical work done by Brian Clough, often tributing his assistant Peter Taylor. They were both given great credit for the major titles won at their time together at Derby and Forest.
Strangely Les Cocker has not been mentioned in the same sentences when his work at Leeds and for England makes a very interesting read. Cocker was assistent to Sir Alf Ramsey when England won the World Cup in 1966, also on the bench for the other medal, the more hidden bronze from the 1968 Euro’s.
His club duties was also as an assistant, working with and close to Don Revie in all his years in charge of Leeds. Cocker was in place during all those seasons. The continuity for England and also at Leeds, being there before Sir Alf Ramsey, and also when Don Revie came in for Leeds and England. Possibly giving the picture another frame regarding the appointment of Don Revie as new England manager, Les Cocker allready part of the funiture.
Les Cocker had a good professional career, playing a solid amount of games for Stockport and Accrington Stanley. As a striker he scored regularly at the lower levels in a career lasting from 1946 to 1958.
1972 – Les Cocker, Leeds United trainer.#lufc #LeedsUnited #leedsutd #leeds #mot #ALAW pic.twitter.com/IDsldMnUUi
— Helmer Reenberg (@HelmerReenberg) September 29, 2024
Les Cocker joined Luton as a coach in 1958. In 1960 moving to Leeds, one of the first with the highest qualification FA Coaching Certificate. He was in fact coaching Don Revie, before the legendary Leeds manager, took over in full, March 1961. Revie continued with Cocker as assistant.
In 1962, Cocker was called up by England national team manager Walter Winterbottom to become a squad trainer, combining his national duties with those of his club. He continued under Sir Alf Ramsey and also following on when Don Revie came in to the seat, as well as following Revie on his adventure in United Arab Emirates.
Les Cocker was also a Team Trainer with the victorious England squad at the 1966 World Cup. Despite the England team winning the competition, Cocker was not awarded a medal, and a posthumous campaign for Cocker to be awarded one was launched by his family in February 2008. The campaign attracted support from former Leeds players including Eddie Gray, Peter Lorimer and Johnny Giles, as well as British politicians including Gerry Sutcliffe and Richard Caborn. Cocker was eventually awarded a medal in June 2009, which was collected on his behalf by his family.
In the biography Cocker Hoop – Les Cocker, Key Man for Ramsey and Revie, you get a thorough walk through on the influence of a man that was very much part of those special and magic moments happening for Leeds and England, all under Les Cocker’s days in service.
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