Cooper tipped for cup glory with Black Cats

Cooper, who is just three games short of having made 400 senior appearances for Boro, joined the Black Cats on loan until the end of the season yesterday.

The 37-year-old has endured more than his fair share of ups and downs during two separate spells with the Teessiders.

He made his first-team debut in a 2-1 defeat at Crystal Palace in 1986 and went on to write his name into Boro folklore despite leaving for brief spells with Millwall and Nottingham Forest.

But that counted for little when McClaren was naming his squad for last month's Carling Cup showdown with Bolton in Cardiff.

Cooper was left distraught after failing to make it into the final 16 and, after also missing out on Boro's three previous cup final appearances in the 1990s, his chance of knockout glory appeared to have gone for good.

But, with Sunderland limbering up for an FA Cup semi-final against either Millwall or Tranmere next month, there could still be one final twist in the tale.

Cooper is not cup-tied having failed to appear in the FA Cup for Boro this season, and McClaren would love to see the two-time England international finally given a chance on the biggest domestic stage of them all.

"Coops could end up playing in an FA Cup final and that's football for you," said McClaren. "One minute you're down in the dumps and feel as though you're not wanted, but the next you could be playing in an FA Cup final.

"Leaving out all five of the players who didn't make it into the cup final squad was hard because they all deserved to be involved in some respect.

"It was especially tough on Colin because you think that the other players might get another opportunity in the future.

"But we try to look after players who have served us well and done well for us. Colin's one of them. I don't think he expected to play too many times this season himself, but he was the main figurehead for us while Ugo (Ehiogu) was injured."

Cooper's standing amongst the Boro fans was emphasised when he was the player they singled out first during last weekend's Carling Cup parade through the town.

But the Trimdon-born centre-half was a boyhood Sunderland fan and the allure of a return to Wearside has proved too hard to resist.

He played alongside Mick McCarthy while the current Black Cats boss was player-manager of Millwall and the two have remained close friends since.

McCarthy initially tried to sign the veteran earlier in the season but, while McClaren spurned his advances at that stage, he felt unable to stand in Cooper's way once he was left on the sidelines at Boro.

"I think the only club he would have gone to was Sunderland," said McClaren.

"Mick McCarthy wanted him and we thought we'd do him a favour and also do Colin a favour as well.

"Mick asked about Colin earlier in the season but, obviously, we couldn't allow him to go.

"But the offer was always there - Mick always wanted Colin and Colin felt now was the right time to take up the challenge.

"Colin wants to play football - he always has done and he's been tremendous for us during his time with the club.

"He's been a model professional and we didn't want to stand in his way and stop him from playing."

Cooper will finish the season at the Stadium of Light - but McClaren has refused to slam the door on him at the Riverside.

The veteran defender has been coaching Boro's reserve side this season and could be offered a permanent backroom role when he decides to hang up his boots.

"We gave him the coaching opportunity because the reality of the situation is that he is coming towards the end of his career.

"He's got to be looking beyond that and we'll see what the situation is at the end of the season.

"We've certainly not dismissed the idea of him coming back here as a coach, or a player, or even a player-coach.

"Nothing's been dismissed as yet and we're certainly not saying that he's played his last game for Middlesbrough."

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