Name Freddie Cox Role Football player | Died August 7, 1973 | |
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Full name Frederick James Arthur Cox Date of birth (1920-11-01)1 November 1920 Date of death 7 August 1973(1973-08-07) (aged 52) | ||
Frederick James Arthur "Freddie" Cox DFC (1 November 1920 – 7 August 1973) was an English football player and manager. Cox, who played as a winger, featured for Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal & West Bromwich Albion throughout his playing career. He also went on to manage the likes of Portsmouth, Bournemouth and Gillingham F. C. altogether.
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Playing career
Cox at first played for Tottenham Hotspurs, then made the move to rivals Arsenal in 1949 for £12,000. At the Gunners, Cox in the 1950 footballing season, was instrumental in the club's FA Cup campaign. He scored Arsenal 's first goal in a comeback from 2-0 down against Chelsea which helped to ensure a 2-2 draw in the Cup semi final. This result fostered a replay which Arsenal went on to win 1-0 due to another strike from Cox. Cox thus started for Arsenal against Liverpool in the final and so was victorious in winning the FA Cup by a margin of 2-0 at Wembley. Only two years later, he got to the FA Cup final of 1952 where he eventually earned a runners up medal. Cox then played nine matches for Arsenal in the subsequent 1952-53 season, which was his last at and away from Highbury.
Managerial career
The winger started off as a player/assistant manager in his joining of West Brom in 1953. During his time with the Hawthorns, Cox helped see the club emerge as Runners-up in the First Division of 1953 and share the FA Charity Shield of 1954. Cox went onward to manage Bournemouth in July 1953. He then linked up as manager with Portsmouth in 1958, a role that he eventually left in 1961. Cox took over at the helm of Gillingham a year afterward, taking the club to the Fourth Division title of the 1964 footballing season.
Personal life
Cox, after his playing days came to an end, went on to work as a newsagent in Bournemouth.