Wilf Copping

Rock solid centre back who started his professional career with Leeds and formed a great partnership with Willis Edwards and Ernie Hart. Copping was selected for the first of his 20 England caps for an international with Italy in 1933. A year later, he was on his way to Arsenal and still greater glory. He picked up 2 League Championship medals and he was also part of the Gunners' FA Cup winning side of 1936. He returned to Leeds just before the war, and subsequently held coaching positions in Antwerp, Southend, Bristol City and Southend. He returned to Southend when he retired from the game, and died there in 1980.

Stuart Copping says: Wilf Copping was a cousin of my Father. I did meet another of my Father's cousins, Charlie Copping who was well into his 90's when I met him in 1960-something. My Dad played for Dunsfold between the Wars; I believe they had some arrangement with Tottenham as they played them once a year (I think). Does anybody out there have any info on this?

Linzi Elford says: Wilf Copping is my Godfather, we lived in Southend. My parents met him while he was at Southend and became good friends with him and his wife. As a child I visited his house, on one occasion I helped his wife Joan clean out a bedroom and in a cardboard box in the corner of the room were all his England caps and shirts from different teams. I tried these on and wish to this day I had one! He was a very quiet man at home but on the field he was an amazing defender. I know at Arsenal they have a picture of him in their reception area. We have been trying to find out information about him for some time, thanks to my son Jack Elford we found this site.

Alfred Harvey says: My wife and I were friends with Wilf and Joan whlilst he was at Southend U.they are god parents to our children,He had one story he would tell about the time he played for England-v-Italy and what happened to one of their players the Referee and himself he was quite proud of, he might have been the IRON man of football on the pitch off he was a pussy cat, a few months back I met up with Frank Dudley Southend & Leeds fame and Wilf's name came up and he told me that he had dealings with Wilf at the end of his days. Get in touch with me if the story might be intresting to you.