Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 23, 2026

Murphy Cooper

Murphy Joseph Cooper is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for EFL Championship side Queens Park Rangers.

Last revised
Jun 23, 2026
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≈ 5 min
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Murphy Cooper
Murphy Cooper in 2025.
Personal information
Full name Murphy Joseph Cooper1
Date of birth (2001-12-27) 27 December 20012
Place of birth Reading, England3
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
Queens Park Rangers
Youth career
Caversham AFC
2010–2012 Wycombe Wanderers
2012–2021 Queens Park Rangers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021– Queens Park Rangers 2 (0)
2021Welling United (loan) 5 (0)
2021Bath City (loan) 2 (0)
2021–2022Stratford Town (loan) 6 (0)
2023Swindon Town (loan) 23 (0)
2024–2025Stevenage (loan) 37 (0)
2025–2026Barnsley (loan) 21 (0)
2026Sheffield Wednesday (loan) 8 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 20:45, 22 April 2026 (UTC)

Murphy Joseph Cooper (formerly Mahoney, born 27 December 2001) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for EFL Championship side Queens Park Rangers.

Club career

Starting his career with local side, Caversham AFC, Cooper joined Queens Park Rangers in 2012, following a two-year spell at Wycombe Wanderers prior to their academy closing.45 During the 2021–22 campaign, Cooper spent time on loan in the National League South with Welling United2 and Bath City6 before eventually joining Stratford Town over the Christmas period.7 Upon his return to West London, he went onto make his debut for the club during a 2–1 away defeat to Preston North End, stepping in for the injured Kieren Westwood.8

On 28 June 2022, Cooper signed a new two-year deal with QPR, keeping him with the club until 2024.9

On 29 June 2023, Cooper signed for League Two club Swindon Town on loan for the duration of the 2023–24 season.10 He was ever-present for Swindon Town in EFL League Two until his loan spell was abruptly cut-short due to a hamstring injury sustained in the 2-1 loss at Tranmere Rovers in December 2023.11

On 3 August 2024, Cooper joined League One club Stevenage on a season-long loan deal.12

On 23 June 2025, Cooper signed a new contract with the R's before returning to League One, joining Barnsley on a season-long loan.1314 In January, Barnsley activated a clause to end the goalkeeper's loan agreement early.15

On 16 January 2026, Cooper signed on loan with Championship side Sheffield Wednesday until the end of the season, to replace the injured Pierce Charles.16 He made his debut the following day, starting the game against Portsmouth.17 He was voted the clubs player of the month for January after also featuring in the Championship and EFL teams of the week.18 He picked up a groin injury in February which would see him ruled out for three-to-four weeks, with Wednesday having to loan in Seny Dieng on an emergency loan to cover him.19 With Pierce Charles returning to fitness during his injury, he wouldn't return to the starting lineup until April against Middlesbrough.20

Personal life

Cooper was known as Murphy Mahoney until he changed his name by deed poll in July 2024.21

Career statistics

As of end of 2025–26 season
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Queens Park Rangers 2021–2222 Championship 2 0 0 0 2 0
2022–2323 Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2023–2424 Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2024–2525 Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2025–2626 Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Welling United (loan) 2021–2227 National League South 5 0 0 0 5 0
Bath City (loan) 2021–2227 National League South 2 0 1 0 0 0 3 0
Stratford Town (loan) 2021–2227 Southern League Premier Division Central 6 0 6 0
Swindon Town (loan) 2023–2424 League Two 23 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 25 0
Stevenage (loan) 2024–2525 League One 37 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 40 0
Barnsley (loan) 2025–2626 League One 21 0 3 0 3 0 1a 0 28 0
Sheffield Wednesday (loan) 2025–2626 Championship 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 0
Career total 104 0 7 0 5 0 1 0 117 0
  1. Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
References

References

  1. "EFL Professional Retain List 2021/22". EFL. 13 June 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  2. "M. Mahoney". Soccerway. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  3. "FootballSquads - Queens Park Rangers - 2022/23". Football Squads. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  4. Cheshire, Simon (27 April 2022). "U23s in profile: Murphy Mahoney". Queens Park Rangers F.C. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  5. "Player Profile: Goalkeeper Murphy Mahoney". Queens Park Rangers F.C. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  6. "Player News". Bath City F.C. 19 October 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  7. Cheshire, Simon (3 December 2021). "Murphy Mahoney joins Stratford Town on loan". Queens Park Rangers F.C. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  8. "Preston North End vs. Queens Park Rangers". Soccerway. 9 April 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  9. Morrissey, Paul (28 June 2022). "Mahoney agrees new deal". Queens Park Rangers F.C. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  10. "Town land Murphy Mahoney on a season-long loan". www.swindontownfc.co.uk. 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  11. "Murphy Mahoney returns to QPR". www.qpr.co.uk. 28 December 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  12. "Murphy Cooper joins on loan from QPR". www.stevenagefc.com. 3 August 2024. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  13. "New deal for Murphy Cooper". www.qpr.co.uk. 23 June 2025. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
  14. "Murphy Cooper joins Barnsley on loan". www.qpr.co.uk. 23 June 2025. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
  15. "Murphy Cooper returns from Barnsley". www.qpr.co.uk. 14 January 2026. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  16. "Murphy Cooper makes S6 switch". Sheffield Wednesday FC. 16 January 2026. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
  17. "Segecic goal gives Portsmouth win over Owls". BBC Sport. 17 January 2026. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  18. "Murphy Cooper voted January Player of the Month". Sheffield Wednesday Football Club. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  19. "Pedersen provides goalkeeper update". Sheffield Wednesday Football Club. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
  20. "Middlesbrough keeps top two hopes alive after beating Sheffield Wednesday". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  21. QPR FC [@QPR] (July 19, 2024). "Introducing Murphy ̶M̶a̶h̶o̶n̶e̶y̶ COOPER! 🧤 Murph has changed his name by deed poll. Looking good, @murphycoops7! 👊" (Tweet) – via X (formerly Twitter).
  22. "Games played by Murphy Cooper in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  23. "Games played by Murphy Cooper in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  24. "Games played by Murphy Cooper in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  25. "Games played by Murphy Cooper in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  26. "Games played by Murphy Cooper in 2025/2026". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  27. "Murphy Mahoney Profile". Aylesbury United F.C. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
External links