Terry Cochrane facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | George Terence Cochrane | ||
| Date of birth | 23 January 1953 | ||
| Place of birth | Killyleagh, Northern Ireland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1969–1971 | Derry City | ||
| 1971–1973 | Linfield | ||
| 1973–1976 | Coleraine | 129 | (41) |
| 1976–1978 | Burnley | 67 | (13) |
| 1978–1983 | Middlesbrough | 111 | (7) |
| 1983 | → Eastern (loan) | 12 | (8) |
| 1983–1986 | Gillingham | 107 | (17) |
| 1986 | Dallas Sidekicks | 0 | (0) |
| 1986 | Coleraine | ||
| 1986–1987 | Millwall | 1 | (0) |
| 1987 | Hartlepool United | 2 | (0) |
| 1987–1990 | Billingham Synthonia | 21 | (4) |
| Marske United | |||
| Billingham Town | |||
| 1992–1993 | South Bank | ||
| 1993–1994 | Ferryhill Athletic | ||
| International career | |||
| 1975–1984 | Northern Ireland | 26 | (1) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2008 | Glenavon | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
George Terence Cochrane, born on January 23, 1953, is a former footballer from Northern Ireland. He played in midfield as a winger, which means he played on the sides of the field, helping both attack and defense.
Contents
Terry Cochrane's Football Journey
Starting Out in Northern Ireland
Terry Cochrane began his football career as a young player with Derry City. He even had a trial with Everton, a big English club. However, he was not chosen because they thought he wasn't strong enough for midfield.
After this, Terry returned to the Irish League. He played for Linfield and then Coleraine. He thought his dream of playing in England might be over. At Coleraine, he was coached by Bertie Peacock, a former manager of the Northern Ireland team. Under Peacock's guidance, Terry became a very good winger. He played so well that he was chosen to play for his country, Northern Ireland, for the first time in October 1975 against Norway.
Moving to English Clubs
In October 1976, Terry Cochrane moved to Burnley, an English club playing in the Second Division. His exciting performances helped Burnley avoid being relegated to a lower league. He became a highly sought-after player.
In October 1978, Middlesbrough paid a club record fee of £233,333 to sign him. This was also a record amount paid for a Northern Irish player at the time. Terry made his first appearance for Middlesbrough on October 14, in a 2–0 home win against Norwich City. He played for Middlesbrough for five years.
After his time at Middlesbrough, Terry had a short period playing in Hong Kong with Eastern on loan. Then, in October 1983, he joined Gillingham. He was even named Gillingham's Player of the Season for the 1984–85 season.
Playing for Northern Ireland
Terry Cochrane played 26 times for the Northern Ireland team, though 13 of these appearances were as a substitute. He is especially remembered for a goal he scored against England during the 1980 British Home Championship.
A Memorable Goal
His goal came just nine minutes after he entered the game as a substitute. It was only sixty seconds after England had scored. This important goal helped Northern Ireland get a 1–1 draw. This draw was crucial as Northern Ireland went on to win the Championships for the first time in 66 years!
World Cup Dreams
Terry was set to be part of the 1982 World Cup squad. He had played in almost all the qualifying matches. However, a hamstring injury he got during a warm-up game against France meant he couldn't play in the World Cup.
After that World Cup series, he played for Northern Ireland only two more times. He was a substitute for Martin O'Neill in a British Championship game against Scotland in December 1983, when Northern Ireland won the trophy again. His last international game was as a substitute for Gerry Armstrong in a World Cup qualifier against Finland in May 1984. He did not make the squad for the 1986 World Cup.
Later Career and Life
After his time with Gillingham, Terry had short spells with Millwall in November 1986 and Hartlepool United in January 1987. He then moved into non-league football, playing for clubs like Billingham Synthonia. He also coached the Saudi Arabian Military team and was a player-manager for South Bank.
For many years, Terry Cochrane lived in the Middlesbrough area. He worked as a media pundit, sharing his football knowledge, and as a youth coach, helping young players develop their skills.
In January 2008, he became the manager of Glenavon, a team in the Irish Premier League. He left the club by mutual agreement in June of that year. In August 2009, he took over as coach of Hartlepool Ladies Football Club.
In 2014, Terry Cochrane released his autobiography, a book about his life, called See You At The Far Post.
