Sammy Cox

Sammy Cox was born in Darvel, East Ayrshire. 5ft 8in, and under 11 stone, he was renowned as a ferocious tackler.

He joined Dundee as an amateur in May 1945, whilst waiting to be demobilised, having previously been with Queen’s Park and Third Lanark (Dundee had taken him on loan from them the previous season.)

Whilst still on-loan, in January 1945, he had travelled to Belgium as part of the Scottish Army touring party. He didn’t feature in the first match, but played in the second against a Belgium team in Bruges.

He missed Dundee’s match against Raith Rovers on the 5^th May, due to being selected as a reserve for an Army trial game in Edinburgh. He also missed the game against Falkirk in August, when his transport to Brockville broke down, arriving twenty minutes after the match started.

After sustaining serious stomach and thigh muscle injuries, Sammy found himself recuperating in a military hospital in Edinburgh in October. The damage was done whilst playing for the Scottish Command team in Stavanger, Norway. Although injured he played in the following match in Oslo, not being able to continue for the second half. The trip had been poorly planned. The players suffered bus journeys of between ten and fourteen hours. After one such journey they arrived at their destination at midnight, only to find they were not expected and no arrangements had been made for them. The Norwegian referees handling of the games was also questioned.

In November, he was off to Germany with the S.F.A. XI. Replacing teammate Tommy Gray, who’s father had died. He was to play left back, instead of taking Tommy’s role at centre half. He played in the first of two matches against a Combined Services XI, in a 4-2 win.

Although very versatile, his natural position was at left back. However, he was proving very effective at left half, in what had been Reggie Smith’s role. Tommy Gray, went as far as to say that if he was left in that position he would “get his cap.”

By the end of the year he was starting to be noticed by other clubs, and managers were reported to be singing his praises.

January 1946 saw Sammy, and three of his fellow Dundee teammates (Westwater, Juliussen and Gallacher), heading to Villa Park to represent Scottish Command who were playing the Royal Engineers.

In March, he was in the Army team that beat the R.A.F. at Stamford Bridge. Then travelled to Europe at the end of the month, when the British Army were to play the French Army in Paris on the 28^th, and Luxembourg, in Luxembourg on the 31^st.

Sammy’s amateur contract with Dundee F.C. was due to expire on the 30^th April. Glasgow Rangers had been in touch with Dundee’s directors hoping to take him to Ibrox. He signed for them on the 2^nd May 1946, and stayed for the next ten years. He then had a couple of seasons with East Fife. Before moving to Canada and finishing his playing career with two Toronto clubs, Ulster United and Sparta.

He gained twenty-five caps for Scotland between the years 1948-1954.

Sammy Cox died in Stratford, Ontario, Canada on 2^nd August 1915, aged 91.