Yeovil’s Mark Cooper loses it during interview slating own club’s fans after 4-0 defeat at Gateshead

Yeovil’s Mark Cooper loses it during a post-match interview, taking to slating his own club’s fans after a 4-0 defeat at Gateshead.

After receiving chants calling time on his tenure, the Glovers manager stated that “proper fans” knew what was going on as they find themselves in a serious relegation battle in the National League.

Yeovil are now five points away from safety after the crushing defeat at the hands 19th-placed Gateshead. Cooper has won six of his 28 games as boss, and blames the recruitment.

Gateshead made a significant step towards safety, taking a 2-0 lead in at half time thanks to a brace from Marcus Dinanga.

Connor Pani scored a third in the restart with Owen Bailey completing a ruthless victory for the FA Trophy finalists, scoring in the 88th minute.

Three points, four goals & five points clear! 🤩#WorClub ⚪️⚫️ pic.twitter.com/93lT7ekKtJ

— Gateshead FC (@GatesheadFC) April 4, 2023

I got to feel for Yeovil fans here, fans clearly want answers aren’t getting them not to a nice to see from a opposition POV. Hope they get everything sorted though! pic.twitter.com/0UdnFxThKn

— Luke 🤍🖤 (@LRbix) April 4, 2023

Yeovil Town boss Mark Cooper was criticised by their fans after a scathing interview in which he claimed ‘proper fans know what is going on’ with relegation looming.

Interviewer: Mark. A disastrous night for everyone involved with the oval town.What on earth went wrong?

MC: First of all, respect to the proper fans that were here tonight, our real fans wasn’t good enough. We tried to prepare for properly, as good as we can, clear game plan that we can see the horrendous goals at horrendous times. Everybody knows where we’re lacking and what we’re lacking and why we’re lacking it. And I will take responsibility because I’m the manager, I pick the team, I select the tactics, but everybody knows can see where we’re lacking. And on that you wanted more attacking players, you needed goals.

Interviewer: Do you feel like you’ve been let down in terms of what you wanted? Did you have players in mind that you could have brought in and weren’t able to?

MC: I think I’ve been promoted out of this league as a manager. I think I know what a National League or a good National League player looks like. Obviously some people didn’t think I knew that. And we haven’t done the right thing, we haven’t reacted the right way to what we needed to do before the transfer window shut, in my opinion, and proof will be in the pudding on that, and we’ll all get judged on that.

Interviewer: Has that really affected the other players because that performance out there didn’t look like a team.

MC: No, I think it’s clear over the last few weeks it’s affected the changing room. In any business, if you don’t get your recruitment right, you’re in for disaster. You always playing catch up. Hopefully it’s a lesson for everybody that in future, wherever we are, recruitment needs to be solid.

Interviewer: How does it make you feel here in those supporters calling for you not to be the manager anymore?

MC: I think as a manager, it’s part of the job. You have to accept that, you know, if you don’t win games, it’s coming. But I think the reasonable, proper fans understand and know what’s going on. I wanted to come and build this club like I did at Forest Green for five years and make it into a proper Football League club. But you need support and you need backing for that.

Interviewer: And I suppose many will say, if you didn’t get that backing, why have you remained in your post? And I guess you want to be here for the next six games. Is that loyalty to the players? That loyalty to the club.

MC: Simple. The easiest thing in the world for me is to walk out and players and leave them in the lurch. Easiest thing, but in my jobs I’ve been pretty loyal. I was at Forest Green for five years, so there’s no way I was going to walk out in the players. Probably short term after the Eastleigh game, but I know that we have a couple of fighters in the changing room and we’ve got to try and regroup and go again.

Interviewer: You saw the reaction of the players at full time going straight over to the supporters. Those certain characters, they could be the difference, couldn’t they?

MC: They could. They can’t go on their own.

Interviewer: And you mentioned there that it is affecting the dressing room. How do you deal with that as the manager talking to them after performance like that?

MC: Words are irrelevant now. It’s about quality, it’s about characters, about quality. Sometimes saying nothing says a thousand words. When emotions are high, it’s sometimes important just to keep quiet.

Interviewer: And is that you resigned to relegation after that result?

MC: No, you never know. Keep going. Because you could go on with six games, who knows?

Interviewer: And you keep going and so on those six games, you want to be here for them? Would you want to be here beyond that?

MC: Of course. I’d love to help lead the club.I signed a two and a half year deal and I’d love to see that through. We’ll see.

The boss spoke post-match after a difficult night in the North-East. #YTFC 💚 pic.twitter.com/D8raCr0KrQ

— Yeovil Town F.C. (@YTFC) April 4, 2023

This is what fans said as Yeovil’s Mark Cooper loses it during an interview slating his own club’s fans…

@tomhwilliams23: From a neutral point of view this is shocking. How about he takes responsibility? He says he should’ve walked after Eastleigh – all about him isn’t it? Why has it gone so badly wrong since then? If he’s taking credit he must also take blame. And to slate the fans? Mind boggling

@HeedFan: Yeovil fans certainly werent happy and told him so too. I think it was a really bad night for him all round.

@Connor_RiceyGFC: Hi, Gateshead fan here. This interview is grim. Because some of you couldn’t travel 7-8 + hours on a Tuesday night you’re not real fans? Credit to the fans that travelled tonight but to this interview along with that performance is insulting

@gl_porter: So because I had to work and couldn’t take two days annual leave I’m not a real or proper fan? Righto, noted. 🫡

@Gloversgirl: Am I not a ‘proper fan’ because I didn’t drag my children over 8 hours in a car to watch our beloved YTFC? We support this team, and as STHs, yes all 4 of us, this has pretty much pissed me off tonight, when we forked out a pretty penny pre season. See you at bloody Aldershot!

@ChappsRyan2000: So in one interview he’s called out the fans calling for his head not being “proper”. He’s called out the board for not listening to him. Get this guy gone

@YeovilMad17: “Our proper fans that were here tonight” Firstly, respect to those that spent their hard earned money and travelled all that way to watch that dross. Secondly, I and many others can’t just drop everything in the middle of the week with families to support and important jobs….

@BRowlesy: Same old Cooper. I remember at FGR he changed the team every window. Whoever recruited him to the club needs to take the responsibility as they clearly didn’t do their homework on him.

@CL_908: In this interview, he’s blamed the fans, the players and the prospective owners, claimed he should of walked out after Eastleigh, then says we might win the next 6 and he wants to see out his 2.5 year contract. He’s taking the absolute piss.

@_Jontosaurus_: He’s blaming the fans now. What, so because I have a family and an ear infection, I should drop all of that to travel 8 hours away during a cost of living crisis? And if I don’t I’m not a real fan? I’ve been critical of MC as well as supportive but this surely is the end for him.

@AlfordMattt: What does he even mean, proper fans…. blokes a joke. I’ve spent thousands following the club all over the country. He dishes up a team a Sunday league team would out perform on passion alone.

@GavYoung6: Tactical interview, he wants out, fans (not surprisingly) want him out – the latter will mean that something has to give- so he will walk away with contract paid off and onto the next poor team who employ him, ruffle enough feathers and you’ll force the hand that once fed you.

@NickAspin4: I’m sorry but as an oldham fan, i cant see the reason why he should be sacked this season, pointless. Signed on a two and a half year deal with fuck all backing from the owners and fans are complaining that it’s his fault their going down. They were never going to win tonight.

@PulfordDavid: this is a shocking interview from Cooper. totally lost the little faith in him that I did have.

@Millibum91: Proper fans here tonight? The real fans here tonight? What an insult to many (including myself) that is. We were here long before you appeared on the scene, and will be here long after you’ve gone. Here’s hoping for our clubs sake that’s sooner rather than later. #YTFC

@BeAl3r: Blokes a helmet. Now having a pop at fans. Has to go. Don’t start popping at the ones who pay your wages and travel over 6hrs.

@CleaveO: “Respect to the proper/real fans who were here tonight”. So because I couldn’t get time off work I and many others are fake fans. Foxtrot Oscar Cooper you aren’t wanted here anymore. #CooperOut

@PeterFo25354464: Not a proper fan!!! Four generations of my family and 46 years of my life supporting the club. That Hurts, that really hurts!!

@Belgian_glover: Absolutely disgusted by these comments, the guy should have that #ytfc badge removed from his chest immediately. He clearly has no appreciation for the fan base this club has and their commitment through the highs and the lows.

@TheoGalvani3: ‘probably should’ve done after the Eastleigh game ‘ did i hear that right or am i missing something ?

@Guyoflocalsport: Provocative comments from MC to @SheridanRobins – serious issues behind the scenes. Wouldn’t expect him to still be in a job after criticism of the board and fans but this #ytfc. ‘Proper fans’ comment will sting with those unable to attend due to time, money and/or commitments.

@mikecoops85: Wowsers, even from a neutral point of view, that’s cutting from him towards all your fans

@TOMMACRAZY: 45 years a fan of Yeovil been there on good and bad days and I’m told I’m not a real fan by a manager who has lost the plot angry does not come close @matt_uggla

@dave_merritt: I do apologise for not making the 5-6 hour drive to Gateshead to watch my team lose 4-0 before driving the 260 odd miles back on a Tuesday night. I, and the rest of us that aren’t “proper fans” will try and do better. #YTFC

@michaeledowning: After listening to his drivel when he was Barrow manager, and constant throwing of certain players under the bus, it’s no surprise to see your club struggling like they are. He got lucky at FGR, working for a wealthy chairman. A great club like Yeovil should never have brought him in

@DETaylor1988: Never change, Mark. Never change. Still not managed to shift that chip on his shoulder. Awful bloke, and it’s pretty laughable he still gets jobs in football tbh.

@OJOddy2015: He hasn’t done one thing right since being at Yeovil.. sooner he goes the better, poor decision after poor decision! If we manage to stay up i will be amazed, should be ashamed of this performance, and season from start to finish

@northantsnobody: How, as a player, would I get any motivation from somebody who claims he doesn’t know if it’s worth saying anything. Surely if you don’t have the quality, as he claims, your only weapons are motivation and tactics. He seems to take ages to say absolutely nothing.