MOTHERWELL general manager Alan Burrows has paid tribute to club icon Davie Cooper.

Almost 20 years on since his tragic death, the mark the former Scotland international has left on many within the national game is still felt, arguably nowhere more so than Motherwell.

Despite only spending five years at Fir Park in his 30s, Cooper is still heralded as one of the finest players ever to play in claret and amber during a historic period for the Lanarkshire side.

And speaking on behalf of the club, Motherwell chief Burrows explains how his legacy at Well still carries on today.

He said: "When you walk up Edward Street towards the ground you can see his face on the side of the Davie Cooper Stand where there is a mural of him.

"We obviously have the Davie Cooper Stand but we also have a Davie Cooper wall and a Davie Cooper suite with memorabilia and images of him That to me is how highly regarded he is at this club.

"Yeah people will associate him mostly with Rangers, but I believe his contribution to Motherwell in that era, by winning the cup and helping the players around him, more than justifies how much and how fondly we remember him.

"The biggest tribute to him is the fact we now refer to the 'Cooper stand', it almost doesn't resonate exactly what it means. It has just become part of the place and part of the club."

From a personal perspective, Burrows' time watching Cooper in action at Fir Park was limited to just a couple of seasons.

Nevertheless, even as a child he still could appreciate the talent that was in front of him.

"I was only a little kid but his ability was just incredible," said Burrows. "Everyone will always say it but he had the biggest wand of a left foot you'll ever see in your life.

"I remember one game at Fir Park against Celtic. I was in the East Stand terracing with my dad and he was going up the wing in front of us when Anton Rogan tried to kick Davie only for him to move the ball away.

"Two or three second later Rogan tried it again and Davie did it again. It happened another four or five times before Davie got to the edge of the box and Rogan just completely cemented him.

"Coop just pick up the ball and held it in front of Rogan's face before dropping it and walking away while all the Motherwell fans went mental. I remember just thinking 'wow'.

"In my lifetime only James McFadden comes close in terms of natural ability. If there was another Davie Cooper now his transfer fee would be able to safeguard this club for a long, long time.

"He will always be remembered here."