Sam Cox (footballer, born 1990)

Samuel Peter Cox (born 10 October 1990) is a former footballer who is currently caretaker manager for Wealdstone. Born in England, he plays for the Guyana national team. He also works as a coach at the Tottenham Hotspur Academy. Cox also made an appearance in season three of Emmy-winning TV series Ted Lasso, playing Armando, a fictional footballer for fictional big team West Ham United.

Sam Cox
Cox playing for Guyana at the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup
Personal information
Full name Samuel Peter Cox[1]
Date of birth (1990-10-10) 10 October 1990 (age 33)
Place of birth London, England
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Defender, Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Wealdstone (caretaker)
Youth career
2007–2009 Tottenham Hotspur
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2010 Tottenham Hotspur 0 (0)
2009Cheltenham Town (loan) 1 (0)
2009Histon (loan) 2 (0)
2010Torquay United (loan) 3 (0)
2010–2012 Barnet 10 (0)
2011–2012Boreham Wood (loan) 24 (2)
2012–2013 Hayes & Yeading United 41 (3)
2013–2016 Boreham Wood 98 (1)
2016–2019 Wealdstone 64 (0)
2018–2019Hampton & Richmond Borough (loan) 16 (0)
2019–2021 Hampton & Richmond Borough 41 (0)
2022 Braintree Town 6 (0)
2022–2023 Welling United 13 (0)
International career
2015– Guyana 26 (0)
Managerial career
2024– Wealdstone (caretaker manager)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:59, 31 May 2023 (UTC)

Club career edit

Cox was "having trials at Watford and Arsenal by the time he was nine years old".[2]

Cox started his career in the Tottenham Hotspur Academy, at the age of 15.[2] He joined the academy full-time in the 2007–08 season. During the 2008–09 season, he made 24 appearances in the under-18 team and two substitute appearances in the reserve team. Cox signed his first professional contract in July 2009.[3]

Martin Allen manager of League Two side Cheltenham Town, signed Cox on a one-month loan deal on 1 September 2009.[4][5] He made his debut on 10 October, in Cheltenham's 4–0 away loss to Accrington Stanley.[6] Having failed to break through at Cheltenham he returned to Spurs on 12 October.[7] On 13 November, Cox joined Conference National club Histon on loan for a month.[8] He made his debut in Histon's 2–1 defeat away to Rushden & Diamonds on 14 November, before being substituted in the 67th minute.[9]

In January 2010, he joined Torquay United on loan for the remainder of the season.[10] He was released by Spurs at the end of the season and joined Barnet in June 2010.[11] Having made 10 appearances in League Two for Barnet during the 2010–11 season Cox signed on loan for Conference South club Boreham Wood in October 2011.[12] He was awarded 'Player of the Season' having helped the club achieve their highest ever finish in the league.[13] In May 2012, Cox was released by Barnet due to the expiry of his contract.[14]

On 5 July, Hayes & Yeading United announced the signing of Cox on a one-year deal after being released by League Two club Barnet in the summer. Cox was immediately announced as captain for the 2012–13 season and was given the 'Supporters' Player of the Year' award at the end of the season.[15]

In summer 2013 Cox went on trial at Greenock Morton and Hamilton Academical though chose to sign for Boreham Wood again in August 2013.[16] He captained the club as they won promotion to the National League for the first time ever in 2015 and was awarded the 'Chairman's Player of the Season' prize in the same year.[13][17]

On 2 September 2016, Cox signed for Wealdstone. He was awarded 'Supporters Club Player of the Year' and 'Junior Stones Player of the Year' in May 2017 at the end of his first season for the club.[18] As of April 2019 he was combining his playing career with Wealdstone with youth coaching at first club Tottenham Hotspur.[2]

After a three-year stint with Hampton & Richmond Borough, which included a loan spell between 2018 and 2019, Cox made the move to fellow National League South side, Braintree Town in March 2022.[19] On 11 May 2022, Cox announced via his Twitter page that he would be leaving the club following the conclusion of the 2021–22 campaign.[20] Cox joined Welling United in July 2022.[21]


International career edit

Cox was born and raised in England, but is of Guyanese descent. He was called up to the Guyana national team in May 2015.[22] In March 2019, he was captain of Guyana, who qualified for the CONCACAF Gold Cup for the first time in their history.[2][23]

Style of play edit

Cox plays as a holding midfielder or as a right sided defender.[24]

Coaching career edit

Cox holds a UEFA A Licence and works at the Tottenham Hotspur Academy where he began his playing career.[25] In November 2018 he won the Ugo Ehiogu 'Ones To Watch' award at the 'Football Black List'.[26][27]

In January 2024, Cox returned to Wealdstone as first team coach and will take the role in a full-time capacity the following season, thus leaving Tottenham.[28] On 7 April 2024, Cox was appointed interim manager on a deal until the end of the season following the sacking of David Noble.[29] Having taken the role with five matches remaining, three wins saw the club survive relegation on the final day of the season.[30]

Personal life edit

Cox was Brent Cross cross country champion for four consecutive years from 2003 to 2006 and 800 metres champion three successive years from 2003 to 2005.[3]

Career statistics edit

Club edit

As of match played 9 December 2017
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
Cheltenham Town (loan) 2009–10[31] League Two 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Histon (loan) 2009–10[31] Conference Premier 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Torquay United (loan) 2009–10[31] League Two 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Barnet 2010–11[32] League Two 10 0 0 0 1 0 1[a] 0 12 0
Boreham Wood (loan) 2011–12[33] Conference South 24 2 0 0 1[b] 0 25 2
Hayes & Yeading United 2012–13[33] Conference South 41 3 3 0 5[c] 0 49 3
Boreham Wood 2013–14[33] Conference South 37 0 6 1 2[d] 0 45 1
2014–15[33] 39 1 4 0 7[e] 0 50 1
2015–16[33] National League 22 0 2 0 0 0 24 0
Boreham Wood total 98 1 12 1 0 0 9 0 119 2
Wealdstone 2016–17[33] National League South 32 0 3 0 8[f] 0 43 0
2017–18[34] 12 0 0 0 0 0 12 0
Wealdstone total 44 0 3 0 0 0 8 0 55 0
Career total 223 6 18 1 1 0 24 0 266 7
  1. ^ Appearance in the Football League Trophy
  2. ^ Appearance in the FA Trophy
  3. ^ Two appearances in the FA Trophy and three in the Middlesex Senior Cup
  4. ^ One appearance in the FA Trophy and one in the Hertfordshire Senior Cup
  5. ^ One appearance in the FA Trophy, three in the Hertfordshire Senior Cup and three in the Conference South play-offs
  6. ^ Two appearances in the Middlesex Senior Charity Cup, five in the FA Trophy and one in the Middlesex Senior Cup

International edit

As of match played 30 March 2021[35]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Guyana 2015 1 0
2016 6 0
2017 3 0
2018 2 0
2019 12 0
2020 0 0
2021 2 0
Total 26 0

References edit

  1. ^ "List of Temporary Transfers of Players under Written Contract Between 01/11/2011 and 30/11/2011" (PDF). The Football Association. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d "SAM COX ON TAKING GUYANA TO THE CONCACAF GOLD CUP". MUNDIAL MAGAZINE. Archived from the original on 11 April 2019. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Biography: Samuel Cox". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. tottenhamhotspur.com. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
  4. ^ "Cheltenham loan for Cox". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. tottenhamhotspur.com. 1 September 2009. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
  5. ^ "Martin's Message – new signing". Cheltenham Town F.C. ctfc.com. 1 September 2009. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
  6. ^ "Accrington Stanley 4 – 0 Cheltenham". BBC Sport. BBC. 10 October 2009. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
  7. ^ Murry Toms (16 October 2009). "Cheltenham vs Macclesfield". Cheltenham Town F.C. ctfc.com. Retrieved 18 October 2009.
  8. ^ "Histon loan Cox". Tottenhamhotspur.com. 13 November 2009. Retrieved 13 November 2009.
  9. ^ "Rushden & Diamonds 2–1 Histon". BBC Sport. 14 November 2009. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
  10. ^ "Torquay snap up defender Sam Cox on loan from Tottenham". BBC Sport. 19 January 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
  11. ^ "Bees sign Spurs youngster". Barnet F.C. 21 June 2010. Archived from the original on 7 March 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
  12. ^ admin (21 October 2011). "SAM COX JOINS 'WOOD' ON LOAN FROM BARNET". Boreham Wood Football Club. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  13. ^ a b charlie7russell (30 December 2015). "EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: FORMER SPURS PLAYER SAM COX SPEAKS ABOUT HIS CAREER AND SUCCESS". ElWriteBack. Retrieved 10 April 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ "McLeod, Brill lead Bees exodus". Sky Sports. 22 May 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  15. ^ "Hayes & Yeading United Football Club - Individual Honours". hyufc.com. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  16. ^ "Boreham Wood is the best place for my career to progress". Borehamwood Times. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  17. ^ Cox, Samuel Peter (26 April 2015). "Chuffed to have picked up the 100+ appearance award along with The Chairman Player of the Season Award pic.twitter.com/l1VTNmWRqx". @TheSamCox. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  18. ^ Cox, Samuel Peter (7 May 2017). "Yesterday was a great evening ... Thanks again everyone at @wealdstonefc players, staff & fans. Proud pic.twitter.com/y9fQodLC14". @TheSamCox. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  19. ^ "Braintree Town FC on Twitter". Twitter. Braintree Town F.C. 28 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  20. ^ "Samuel Peter Cox on Twitter". Twitter. Sam Cox. 11 May 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  21. ^ @wellingunited (27 July 2022). "HERE WE GO! 📝 The club are delighted to announce the signing of Sam Cox. Welcome to the wings @TheSamCox #Welcome #WeAreWings #WeAreTheWings" (Tweet). Retrieved 27 July 2022 – via Twitter.
  22. ^ "Golden Jaguars open camp for world Cup qualifiers". Guyana Chronicle. 25 May 2015.
  23. ^ "Gold Cup: Guyana captain Sam Cox on 'life-changing' journey with Golden Jaguars". BBC Sport. 18 June 2019.
  24. ^ "Meet the Stones' new boys: Sam Cox" (PDF). Stones. WFC History. 1 October 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  25. ^ Cox, Samuel Peter (27 May 2018). "Delighted to have passed my UEFA A License! It's been a years graft balancing the playing, coaching and learning but I'm grateful to say that it's all been worth it! ... Now the youngest South American FA-A License holder ever! The learning never stops! pic.twitter.com/QT2ZO1dYil". @TheSamCox. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  26. ^ "Award named after 'outstanding role model' Ehiogu". Evening Standard. London. 8 November 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  27. ^ Cox, Samuel Peter (8 November 2018). "Honoured to have won the Ugo Ehiogu "Ones To Watch" Award at this years Football Blacklist Celebration. The graft doesn't stop and I'll continue to get better, learning everyday and having a positive influence, trying to inspire the next generation of young footballers pic.twitter.com/Wv3f7qjHmU". @TheSamCox. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  28. ^ "Former captain Cox joins management team". Wealdstone FC. 29 January 2024. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  29. ^ "STATEMENT: David Noble". www.wealdstone-fc.com. 7 April 2024. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  30. ^ "Statement from the Board of Directors". www.wealdstone-fc.com. 21 April 2024. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  31. ^ a b c "Games played by Sam Cox in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  32. ^ "Games played by Sam Cox in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  33. ^ a b c d e f "Sam Cox". Aylesbury United F.C. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  34. ^ Sam Cox at Soccerway. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  35. ^ "Cox, Sam". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 13 December 2017.

External links edit