Jake Cooper: I might not have made it as a footballer without help of new Charlton boss Nigel Adkins

Jake Cooper has piled praise on new Charlton Athletic manager Nigel Adkins, and says he might not have made it as a professional footballer without his guidance and support.

Adkins was in charge of Reading and handed Cooper his debut in August 2014. He went on to make 54 appearances for the Royals before signing for Millwall.

And the centre-back – who is just two matches shy of 200 for the South London club – admits he still sticks to some of Adkins’ rules.

“I don’t know if I’d be a footballer right now if it wasn’t for him,” Cooper told the South London Press. “He gave me a great opportunity. He is an unbelievably positive man.

“He is really big on work ethic and there are little things he put through me. It may sound silly, but it is things like running around the cone in the warm-up – don’t miss a step. Making sure you go around it every time – you don’t cut corners. I even still do that now.

“He was a great influence on me along with Andy Crosby and Dean Wilkins. I look back on those times with fond memories.”

PHOTO: SEAN GOSLING