Geoff Fox (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey R. 'Geoff' Fox (19 January 1925 – 1 January 1994) was a professional footballer who played as a full back
in The Football League
for Ipswich Town
, Bristol Rovers
and Swindon Town
.
Born in Bristol
in 1925, Fox played schoolboy football for Bristol City
but the outbreak of World War II
in 1939 meant that his entry into the professional game was delayed, with League football suspended during the hostilities. He played wartime football as an amateur for Ipswich Town and Bristol City, before signing his first professional contract with Ipswich following the war. After making eleven League appearances for Ipswich, scoring once, Fox returned to his home town with Bristol Rovers in 1955. He remained with The Pirates for eight years, playing in 274 League games during that spell and scoring twice. After two years with Swindon Town between 1955 and 1957, Fox retired from professional football and joined non-league
team Pucklechurch as a player-coach.
Fox was also a keen cricket
er, playing Minor County
cricket for Suffolk
, and was on the groundstaff of Gloucestershire County Cricket Club
from 1952 until 1954. In later life Fox worked as a salesman for a paint brush company until retiring in 1990. He died of a Myocardial infarction
on New Year's Day 1994 while playing golf.
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
in The Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
for Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
, Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
and Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
.
Born in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
in 1925, Fox played schoolboy football for Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
but the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1939 meant that his entry into the professional game was delayed, with League football suspended during the hostilities. He played wartime football as an amateur for Ipswich Town and Bristol City, before signing his first professional contract with Ipswich following the war. After making eleven League appearances for Ipswich, scoring once, Fox returned to his home town with Bristol Rovers in 1955. He remained with The Pirates for eight years, playing in 274 League games during that spell and scoring twice. After two years with Swindon Town between 1955 and 1957, Fox retired from professional football and joined non-league
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
team Pucklechurch as a player-coach.
Fox was also a keen cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er, playing Minor County
Minor Counties Cricket Championship
The Minor Counties Cricket Championship is a season-long competition in England that is contested by those county cricket clubs that do not have first-class status...
cricket for Suffolk
Suffolk County Cricket Club
Suffolk County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Suffolk....
, and was on the groundstaff of Gloucestershire County Cricket Club
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators....
from 1952 until 1954. In later life Fox worked as a salesman for a paint brush company until retiring in 1990. He died of a Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
on New Year's Day 1994 while playing golf.