England Coach's Personal Tragedy Revealed
England and Tottenham Hotspur coach Justin Cochrane has shared the heartbreaking story of his wife's death from a rare form of thyroid cancer. The 43-year-old football coach lost his wife, Leeanne, in November 2024 when she was just 40 years old.
Family Life Shattered by Cancer Diagnosis
Justin Cochrane was building his promising coaching career at Brentford when he and Leeanne received the devastating news from doctors. They were told she had a very slim chance of survival against the rare cancer.
Despite receiving treatment at London's renowned Royal Marsden hospital, Leeanne passed away ten months later, leaving Cochrane as a solo parent to their three sons. The couple had been together for years, with Cochrane describing her as "an incredible wife and mother" who brought balance to their family.
Football Community Provides Crucial Support
During the most difficult period of his life, Cochrane found unexpected support from the football world. While still working at Brentford under Thomas Frank, he received tremendous backing from the club and players.
Christian Norgaard, the Brentford captain, was particularly supportive during this challenging time. Cochrane had openly discussed his wife's illness with the players early on, knowing there would be times he needed to be away from the club.
The coach described the emotional turmoil of maintaining his professional responsibilities while caring for his ill wife and preparing their three sons for the possibility of losing their mother. He survived on just three hours of sleep per night during her illness.
Moving Forward Amid Grief
In February 2025, Cochrane took on a new role as part of Thomas Tuchel's coaching staff with the England national team, before later joining Tottenham as assistant coach to Thomas Frank. However, the grief continued to surface at unexpected moments.
He recalled a particularly emotional incident early in his England career: "I was on the way to Wembley and a song came on the coach. I just started crying. I was sat opposite Henrique Hilario, and in that moment he just knew and gave me a hug."
Despite his profound loss, Cochrane continues to honour Leeanne's memory. He has had a community bench made in her honour near their family home and draws strength from her final words about looking after their sons and himself.
The coach is set to accompany the England squad to the World Cup next summer, continuing his professional journey while navigating the complex emotions of grief and fatherhood.
