Joe Cooper made his debut for his hometown club last season, but he has now turned his back on professional football to study economics.
The 18-year-old played the full 90 minutes as Oldham Athletic lost 1-0 to Shrewsbury Town in April of this year, and he has spent the early weeks of the current campaign continuing to learn his trade on loan at Cumbrian non-league side Celtic Nation.
However, Cooper has turned his back on professional football, and will instead head to Leeds Metropolitan University to study economics. Whilst the defender admits some people will find his decision odd, he is sure he has made the right move.
“From the outside looking in a lot of people think football is glamorous but from the inside looking in it is different,” he said in the Manchester Evening News. “There are major highs but at the same time there are some quite big lows and it is hard to balance the two.
“My parents have been really supportive, but I don’t think my mum is too happy about me leaving home. The gaffer has been brilliant. He gave me my chance and I will be forever indebted to him. He told me that he would never stand in my way.”
