Cooper's gratitude after he repels his old team

FORMER ARGYLE KEEPER THANKS FANS FOR HIS AMAZING OVATION

- CHRIS ERRINGTON

MICHAEL Cooper described the ovation he got from Plymouth Argyle's travelling Green Army before and after his new Sheffield United side's 2-0 win against his former club at Bramall Lane as something he will never forget.

The 25-year-old goalkeeper played against the Pilgrims for the first time since his £2 million transfer in August, and kept his ninth successive home clean sheet as the Blades remained at the top of the Championship. He did have to produce one top-class save to do so, though, when he pushed away a second half header from Ryan Hardie as the visitors pushed for an equaliser.

Cooper, who had been at Argyle since the age of nine through until his move to United in the summer, admitted it had been 'weird' lining up against them, and in particular his good friend and fellow academy graduate Adam Randell.

The pair hugged each other at the final whistle and Cooper greeted several of his other former Argyle team-mates and coaches before he went across to the 1,000-strong Green Army behind one of the goals and applauded them as they sang 'Michael Cooper, he's one of our own' Cooper spoke to Herald Sport pitchside at Bramall Lane after the game and described the emotions he had felt coming up against a club which means so much to him.

"It was weird - the build-up, everything, it was really strange," he said.