Full name Gershom Cox Years Team Position Defender Playing position Died September 1940 | Role Footballer Date of birth September 1863 Name Gershom Cox | |
Date of death November 1918 (at Gravesend, Kent) | ||
Place of birth Birmingham, England | ||
Gershom Cox (September 1863 – November 1918) was an English professional footballer who played as a full-back for Aston Villa from 1888 to 1893. He made 102 first-team appearances for Aston Villa in all competitions. After his years at Aston Villa he went as Player/Coach for Gravesend in Kent.
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Career
Until a chance discovery in 2013, his main claim to fame had been that he scored the first goal in The Football League 31 minutes after kick-off on the first day of the inaugural season, 1888-89 on 8 September 1888 for Aston Villa against their Midlands rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers. However, The Midland Evening News of Sept 7 1888 included an advert showing "kick-off 3.30 prompt". Cox's goal was scored into his own net, so is the first recorded "own goal" in the Football league.
As of 2013, Kenny Davenport is regarded as scorer of the first ever Football League goal, scoring for Bolton Wanderers at 3:47pm on 7 September 1888 against Derby County.
Cox won an FA Cup runners-up medal, appearing for Aston Villa in the 1892 final. Villa lost to West Bromwich Albion.