Bobby Cox (footballer)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Robert Cox | ||
| Date of birth | 24 January 1934 | ||
| Place of birth | Dundee, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 20 February 2010 (aged 76) | ||
| Place of death | Scotland | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Dundee Osborne | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1956–1968 | Dundee | 327 | (2) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Robert Cox (24 January 1934 – 20 February 2010) was a Scottish footballer who played for Dundee from 1955 to 1969 and was their captain when they won their only Scottish league title in 1962. Manager Willie Thornton signed Cox in 1955 and began what was to be a 14-year playing association with the club that he supported all his life. He made the first of what were to be more than 400 appearances for The Dee in a 3–1 Dens Park win over Queen's Park, on 20 October 1956 after only four matches for the reserve side. For the remainder of his career only injury and illness would prevent him from wearing the number three shirt. Doug Cowie was one of the mainstays of the team that Cox came into and when Cowie left, Cox succeeded him as captain. Cox would eventually notch up the second highest number of appearances for Dundee and his 433 starts are only bettered by the man who he succeeded as captain.
The Club had waned from the halcyon early 1950 days of Billy Steel and co., but at the start of the next decade, as manager Bob Shankly introduced youngsters Alex Hamilton, Ian Ure, Andy Penman, Alan Gilzean, and Hugh Robertson and brought in experience in the shape of Bobby Seith, Bobby Wishart and Gordon Smith, the Dark Blues became genuine contenders for the major prizes. In 1962 they surpassed anything accomplished by a previous Dundee side, winning the Scottish League title by three points from Rangers – who they had the audacity to thrash 5–1 at Ibrox en route to the big prize.
Saturday, 28 April 1962 became a date to remember for Dundee fans as Cox led his troops to the League Flag following a 3–0 win over St Johnstone at Muirton Park. At the end of the match, the Dundee support steamed their way onto the pitch to acclaim their triumph and the pictures of the fans lifting their captain onto their shoulders as he held arms up in the air are synonymous with Dundee's greatest day. Cox and his side's place in Tayside legend were assured.
The following season, Dundee set off on a memorable European odyssey as Bobby Cox led the Club into its first foray into continental competition. As they took their European Cup challenge to a semi-final against AC Milan, they showed that the classic Scottish passing game which they played, could work as well in Europe as in Scotland. Their campaign began with an 8–1 thumping of second favourites Cologne, before a bruising rematch in Germany. Sporting Lisbon and Anderlecht were also despatched before, significantly, with Cox injured and unable to play, AC Milan ended the dream in the San Siro.
That team then began to break up, but in 1964, whilst owner of the aptly named public house, 'The Sliding Tackle' in Broughty Ferry (he was renowned for his trademark sliding tackle with the outside of his right foot), he once again captained the team to another memorable occasion as Dundee played Rangers in the Scottish Cup Final. It was Dundee's first appearance in the Final for twelve years but there was to be no fairytale ending for 'Coxer' as two late goals from Rangers cruelly denied the Dark Blues a replay.
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Wikipedia