Geoff Cox (footballer)

Geoff Cox
Personal information
Full name Geoffrey Cox[1]
Date of birth (1934-11-30)30 November 1934[1]
Place of birth Nuneaton,[1] England
Date of death 3 November 2014(2014-11-03) (aged 79)
Playing position Winger, inside forward
Youth career
1950–1951 Birmingham City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1951–1957 Birmingham City 35 (3)
1957–1967 Torquay United 261 (62)
1967–19?? Bridgwater Town
– Welton Rovers
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Geoffrey Cox (30 November 1934 – 3 November 2014) was an English former professional footballer who scored 65 goals in 296 appearances in the Football League playing for Birmingham City and Torquay United.[2]

Life and career

Cox was born in the Stockingford district of Nuneaton, Warwickshire. He began his football career as a youngster with Birmingham City in 1950, and turned professional at the end of the following year.[1] A winger, Cox made his debut in the Football League Second Division on 27 August 1952 in a 1–0 win at Luton Town, and played in more than half of the games in the 1952–53 season.[3] He was then called up for National Service; by the time he returned, Gordon Astall and Alex Govan were established on the wings. He remained with Birmingham as cover,[1] and played in their early matches in the inaugural staging of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, including in their first match in European competition, a goalless draw against Internazionale in Milan in May 1956 while Astall was away on England international duty.[4]

In December 1957 Cox moved to Torquay United,[1] then playing in the Third Division South. In a ten-year career he scored 62 goals in 261 league games and twice contributed to Torquay's promotion from the Fourth Division back to the Third.[2][5] The club awarded him a benefit match against West Ham United at the end of the 1967–68 season.[6] After leaving Torquay he wound down his football career with Bridgwater Town and Welton Rovers of the Western League.[7]

Cox went on to work as an estate agent. He and wife Madge had two sons: Maurice, a former professional footballer who played for Torquay United and Huddersfield Town, and Michael.[7] He died on 3 November 2014.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 80. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
  2. 1 2 "Geoff Cox". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  3. ↑ Matthews, p. 188.
  4. ↑ Matthews, p. 241.
  5. ↑ "Torquay United". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Retrieved 16 April 2009.
  6. ↑ "1967–68 Friendlies". West Ham United Football Programmes: A pictorial history. Steve Marsh & Stuart Allen. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  7. 1 2 "Torquay United: Gulls great Geoff Cox dies at the age of 79". Herald Express. Torquay. 3 November 2014. Archived from the original on 21 January 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  8. ↑ Lewis, Peter (10 November 2014). "Geoff Cox (1934–2014)". Birmingham City F.C. Archived from the original on 11 November 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
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