I was a Premier League star and had a fight with Ravanelli before turning to management but was hit by family tragedy
IT’S surely only a matter of time before we see former defender Neil Cox back in football management . . . where he belongs.
Since his departure as manager from his hometown club Scunthorpe in November 2021, the 51-year-old has attracted several offers, but admits the next move has to be right.
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He said: “I have loved every moment of my football career as a player, coach and manager — and I still believe I have so much to give.
“I’ve been touched that a few clubs have been in contact. But I want it to be the right fit for both parties.”
Sadly, the last year has taken a tragic twist for the family, with Neil’s ex-wife taking her own life 12 months ago.
Naturally, it has had a huge effect on his two daughters, who are 24 and 17.
He said: “It’s been such a traumatic time for the girls. I understand I will never be able to replace their mum but if I can be a dad and more for them I always will be.
“It’s almost a year to the day. I could not be prouder of them both.”
Cox reflects on his football life with vivid first memories of his parents’ house overlooking Scunthorpe’s Old Showground Stadium.
He said: “At the age of eight, and with a few of my mates, we’d all leap over the wall into the stadium and go and live our dream by actually playing on the main pitch at the ground!
“The fact I got to play for my hometown team, and manage them too, is something very special for me.
“When I was offered the Iron job it was something I couldn’t turn down.”
As a player, Cox’s rise up the league ladder was quite some jump.
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He made his debut for United in 1990 and played just 17 league games that season before attracting interest from several big clubs, with Spurs keen to set up a potential double transfer for Cox and Richard Hall.
In the end, Cox moved to Aston Villa in 1991 in a bizarre deal that included a then-record £400,000 fee for Scunthorpe, plus 2,000 spare stadium seats for Scunny’s Glanford Park!
Cox added: “Within days of signing I was suddenly playing over in Hong Kong with seasoned international players like David Platt and Paul McGrath. I had to pinch myself.
“The club had been knocked out of the FA Cup, so took the opportunity to use the free weekend to play in Asia. It was a whirlwind for me.”
After two years at Villa, Cox was called up for England Under-21s and made six appearances.
He said: “It was a great team with players like Andy Cole and Jamie Redknapp.”
Cox spent three years at Villa and helped them to League Cup success over Manchester United in 1994, before moving to Middlesbrough and their revolution under manager Bryan Robson.
The former right-back added: “I was a big Manchester United fan and Robbo was a hero of mine, so it didn’t take much persuading!
“Playing between the transition from Ayresome Park to the Riverside was an incredible time and being able to share it with the fans, too.”
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But it was at Boro that he suffered arguably the biggest one-off disappointment in his playing career.
He missed the 1997 FA Cup final against Chelsea following an injury and a row on the morning of the match with Fabrizio Ravanelli over the star striker’s own fitness.
The Italian insisted he was fine to play but limped off after 24 minutes as Chelsea won 2-0.
After two years at Bolton, Cox’s next move was Watford for £500,000 where he thought he had found the perfect boss in Graham Taylor. It turned out to be anything but.
He said: “I was born in Scunthorpe and he had grown up there.
“Graham’s dad was a local reporter in Scunthorpe and I had gone to school with his niece. It seemed perfect but he took an instant dislike to me.
“Within two weeks he told me he didn’t feel I had a future at the club. I was never involved in any first-team activity under Taylor.”
Cox has been interviewed for a recent ‘Under the Cosh’ podcast where he talks animatedly about his horror times with Taylor but how it all turned around for him when Gianluca Vialli took over the Hornets.
He became great friends with the Italian and, like so many, was devastated by his passing in January.
Cox said: “I count myself lucky that I worked with both Gianluca and Ray Wilkins at Watford.
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“It’s hard to believe they are both no longer with us. They were absolute class acts in terms of their football but more importantly, wonderful, humble people.”
From Watford, he moved to Cardiff and then Crewe, where he wanted to help old friend Steve Holland, who is now Gareth Southgate’s No 2 for England.
But Cox always had plans to go into coaching, adding: “While I was at Watford, I was very fortunate that Ray Lewington became manager and allowed me access to all the coaching at the club. I would ask questions and he would do the same with me.
“My footballing highlights would be Villa’s League Cup win in 1994 and the Boro revolution under Robbo.
“But one of my real standout memories was being part of AFC Wimbledon’s rise after being unceremoniously dumped out of the league.
“What those fans and that club have achieved is quite a story.”
