Devastated Leeds United star reveals dressing room relegation talk and 'main' drop regret

Cooper returned from a recent glute problem to start Sunday's season finale at home to Tottenham in which Leeds needed a victory plus slip-ups from both Everton and Leicester City to survive. Leeds, though, fell to a 4-1 defeat and would have been relegated even with a victory due to final day wins for both the Toffees and Foxes.

Cooper captained Leeds to promotion from the Championship under former boss Marcelo Bielsa in the summer of 2020 but his side are now heading back to the country's second tier just three years later.

The Whites skipper admitted relegation left him "devastated", both for the team but moreover the club's fans who once again packed into Elland Road for the final game of a dreadful campaign.

Leeds ultimately finished second-bottom and five points adrift of safety but Cooper has already issued a dressing room message about a must for the next campaign.

"We wanted to win our game and we've not managed to do that," said a clearly emotional Cooper to Match Of The Day. "I'm just devastated for ourselves but mainly the supporters. They deserve to be in this league and we've let them down. I've said to the boys in there, we've got to take that on the chin and come back fighting next year."