I was a Premier League midfielder & Aston Villa star… before tragedy struck
A FORMER Premier League star has revealed how his life off the pitch was stricken by a family tragedy.
After more than 20 years in professional football, Aston Villa legend Neil Cox’s life was turned upside down when his ex-wife took her own life about a year ago.
Following the heart-breaking loss and his departure from coaching Scunthorpe in 2021, the 51-year-old said he was focussed on rebuilding his family after their struggles.
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.”
His daughters are 24 and 17.
Despite being removed from the game for now, Cox said he still had his eye on the future.
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.”
As a player, Cox’s rise up the league ladder was quite a jump.
He made his debut for United in 1990 and played just 17 league games that season before attracting interest from several big clubs.
Tottenham Hotspur was keen to set up a potential double transfer for Cox and Richard Hall but in the end, the star defender moved to Aston Villa.
He said: “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 I took the opportunity to use the free weekend to play in Asia.
“It was a whirlwind for me.”
Cox spent three years at Villa and helped them to League Cup success over Manchester United in 1994.
He then moved to Middlesbrough and was part of 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.”
But it was at Boro where he suffered arguably the biggest one-off disappointments 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 was interviewed for a recent “Under the Cosh” podcast where he talked 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 was devastated by his passing in January.
Cox said: “I count myself lucky that I worked with both Gianluca and Ray Wilkins at Watford.
“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.”