Graham Cox (footballer, born 1959)

Graham Cox
Personal information
Full name Graham Paul Cox[1]
Date of birth (1959-04-30)30 April 1959
Place of birth Willesden, England
Date of death 17 May 2024(2024-05-17) (aged 65)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1975–1977 Brentford
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1977–1979 Brentford 4 (0)
1978 → Margate (loan) 1 (0)
1980–1981 Wokingham Town
1981–1982 Addlestone & Weybridge Town
Hillingdon Borough
South Ascot
1985–1986 Aldershot 16 (0)
1985 → Slough Town (loan) 4 (0)
1986 Slough Town 16 (0)
Managerial career
Slough Town (assistant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Graham Paul Cox (30 April 1959 – 17 May 2024) was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper in the Football League for Brentford and Aldershot.

Career

Brentford

A goalkeeper, Cox joined Brentford as an apprentice during the 1975–76 pre-season.[2] He made his debut in a 3–1 Fourth Division defeat to AFC Bournemouth on 1 January 1977.[3] He also played in the following matches against Colchester United and Crewe Alexandra and conceded seven goals.[3] With the team leaking goals, Crystal Palace keeper Tony Burns was brought in on loan, which ended Cox's involvement in the first team in the 1976–77 season.[4] Cox signed his first professional contract in April 1977,[2] but his final competitive appearance for the Bees came on 26 September 1977 in a 1–1 draw with Stockport County.[3] He joined Southern League Premier Division strugglers Margate on loan in September 1978 and made one appearance as cover for regular goalkeeper Steve Bowtell.[5] Cox departed Brentford at the end of the 1978–79 season.[4]

Later career

After his release from Brentford in 1979, Cox dropped into non-League football and played for Wokingham Town, Addlestone & Weybridge Town, Hillingdon Borough and South Ascot.[5] He made a return to the Football League with Aldershot in January 1985 and made 16 Fourth Division appearances before departing in 1986.[2][5] Cox joined Isthmian League Premier Division club Slough Town on loan in October 1985 and made 12 appearances before suffering a double arm fracture and a broken collarbone in a league match versus Sutton United on 23 November.[5] After recovering, he joined the Rebels permanently in April 1986 and made the last of a further 22 appearances in November that year.[6] He stayed on at the club and became assistant manager.[5]

Personal life

In the 1990s, Cox worked in Bracknell with former Aldershot teammate Tommy Langley, as a photocopier and fax machine salesman.[7]

Career statistics

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
Brentford 1976–77[3] Fourth Division 3 0 0 0 0 0 — 3 0
1977–78[3] Fourth Division 1 0 0 0 0 0 — 1 0
Total 4 0 0 0 0 0 — 4 0
Margate (loan) 1978–79[5] Southern League Premier Division 1 0 — — — 1 0
Slough Town 1985–86[6] Isthmian League Premier Division 5 0 5 0 — 3[a] 0 13 0
1986–87[6] Isthmian League Premier Division 15 0 4 0 — 2[b] 0 21 0
Total 20 0 9 0 — 5 0 34 0
Career total 25 0 9 0 0 0 5 0 39 0
  1. ^ 2 appearances in Berks & Bucks Senior Cup, 1 appearance in Isthmian League Cup
  2. ^ 1 appearance in FA Trophy, 1 appearance in Isthmian League Cup

References

  1. ^ a b "Graham Cox". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  2. ^ a b c Croxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2011). The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies. Sunbury, Middlesex: Legends Publishing. p. 282. ISBN 978-1906796709.
  3. ^ a b c d e White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 394. ISBN 0951526200.
  4. ^ a b Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. pp. 41–42. ISBN 0955294916.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Graham Cox". Margatefchistory.com. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
  6. ^ a b c "Graham Cox". The Official Website of Slough Town FC. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  7. ^ "Tommy Langley – League Appearances – Chelsea FC". Sporting-heroes.net. Retrieved 19 July 2014.