Colonel William A. Phillips

Matthew Aidan Cox (born 2 May 2003) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for EFL League One club Bristol Rovers, on loan from Premier League club Brentford.

Cox is a product of the Chelsea and AFC Wimbledon academies and began his professional career with the latter club in 2020. He transferred to Brentford in 2021. Cox has been capped by England at youth level.

Club career

Youth years

A goalkeeper, Cox began his career in the Chelsea Academy at age eight and concerns over his height led to his release at age 14.[4] He moved into the AFC Wimbledon academy and progressed to sign his first professional contract in on his 17th birthday in May 2020.[5] Cox was an unused substitute with the first team on 18 occasions during the 2020–21 season.[3] At youth level, Cox was a part of the Dons' 2020–21 EFL Youth Alliance Cup-winning squad (scoring two goals during the campaign) and he was recognised for his football and academic progress by the LFE in November 2020.[6][7][8] Cox departed Plough Lane in July 2021.[9]

Brentford

On 22 July 2021, Cox transferred to the B team at Premier League club Brentford and signed three-year contract, with the option of a further year, for an undisclosed fee.[9] He was called into the first team's St George's Park training camp during the 2021–22 pre-season and was assigned a first team squad number.[8][10] As a result of a long-term injury suffered by first-choice goalkeeper David Raya in October 2021,[11] Cox was promoted onto the first team substitutes' bench as backup for loanee Álvaro Fernández.[4] Following the arrival of second loan goalkeeper Jonas Lössl in January 2022,[12] Cox dropped back out of the matchday squad,[3] but was frequently a member of the first team group.[13] He made 18 B team appearances during the 2021–22 season.[13] Cox was promoted into the first team squad in May 2022 and six weeks later he signed a new six-year contract, with a one-year option.[13]

Beginning 2022–23 as third-choice goalkeeper behind David Raya and new signing Thomas Strakosha,[14] ankle injuries suffered by Strakosha during the season saw Cox serve as Raya's backup for 24 matches.[3][15][16][17] He also made seven appearances during the B team's 2022–23 Premier League Cup-winning campaign.[3][18]

On 25 July 2023, Cox joined League One club Bristol Rovers on loan for the duration of the 2023–24 season.[19] He began the season as first-choice goalkeeper,[20] but following a dip in form, he was dropped in favour of Jed Ward in late January 2024.[21] Cox made just one further appearance before the end of the season and finished a mid-table campaign on 34 appearances.[22][23]

International career

Cox was capped twice by England at U17 level in February 2020.[3] He was called into one U18 and two U19 training camps during the 2020–21 season and made his U19 debut as a half time substitute during a 2–0 friendly win over Italy on 2 September 2021.[24][25][26][27] One month later, Cox won his maiden call into the U20 squad for a pair of friendlies and made his debut as a late substitute for James Trafford in a 5–0 win over the Czech Republic in the second match.[28][29]

Returning to the U19 team for the remainder of the 2021–22 season, Cox was a part of the squad which qualified for the 2022 UEFA European U19 Championship.[30] He was named in the Finals squad and started in four of the team's five matches during its victorious campaign.[13] Cox's performances were recognised with a place in the Team of the Tournament.[13] Cox was a member of England's 2023 U20 World Cup squad and made four appearances prior to the team's round-of-16 exit.[31]

Cox was called into the U21 squad for 2025 European U21 Championship qualifiers on three occasions during the 2023–24 season and he was an unused substitute during four matches.[3][32][33][34]

Style of play

In July 2022, Brentford head coach Thomas Frank stated that Cox "has all the attributes a modern goalkeeper needs. He has very good positioning when coming for crosses and is a great shot stopper and with the ball at his feet. He has attributes like a hunger to acquire new tools in every training session, a mature personality and outstanding learning skills".[13]

Personal life

Prior to switching to football, Cox played youth rugby union for Cobham.[35] His father is a rugby union coach and his sister Katie is a goalkeeper in the Chelsea Women youth system.[4][36] As of 2021, Cox was living in Chessington.[37]

Career statistics

As of match played 27 April 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
AFC Wimbledon 2020–21[38] League One 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Brentford 2021–22[39] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 ― 0 0
2022–23[40] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 ― 0 0
Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 ― 0 0
Bristol Rovers (loan) 2023–24[22] League One 28 0 4 0 1 0 1[c] 0 34 0
Career total 28 0 4 0 1 0 1 0 34 0
  1. ^ Includes FA Cup
  2. ^ Includes EFL Cup
  3. ^ Appearance in EFL Trophy

Honours

England U19

Brentford B

Individual

  • UEFA European U19 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2022[13]

References

  1. ^ "EFL Squad List 2020/21 & U21 Registered Contract Players" (PDF). p. 7. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  2. ^ "Matthew Cox". 11v11.com. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Matthew Cox at Soccerway. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Harris, Jay. "Matthew Cox: The 18-year-old goalkeeper who was set for debut after Brentford beat 10 clubs to sign him". The Athletic. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Breaking news: England keeper Matthew signs pro deal on his birthday". www.afcwimbledon.co.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  6. ^ "Matthew joins Brentford after four years of progress with the Dons". www.afcwimbledon.co.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  7. ^ Wylie, Jack (11 November 2020). "The 11 | November 2020 (In Depth)". League Football Education (LFE). Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  8. ^ a b Brace, Jack (23 December 2021). "Who is Matthew Cox? The 18-year-old pushing to be Brentford's number one in David Raya's absence". Vavel. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Matthew Cox signs for Brentford B". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  10. ^ "Brentford confirm Premier League squad list". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  11. ^ "David Raya sustains knee injury". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  12. ^ "Jonas Lössl joins Brentford from FC Midtjylland". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h "Matthew Cox signs six-year deal to 2028". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  14. ^ Pyzdrowski, Matt; Harris, Jay. "Thomas Strakosha v David Raya: Let battle commence to be Brentford No 1". The Athletic. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  15. ^ Harris, Jay. "Strakosha suffers ankle ligament injury after saving penalty from Ajer". The Athletic. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  16. ^ "Frank on Arsenal, Arteta and squad fitness". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  17. ^ "Frank issues squad update". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  18. ^ a b "Brentford B 2 Blackburn U21 1". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  19. ^ "Rovers Sign Bees Duo". www.bristolrovers.co.uk. 25 July 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  20. ^ Hargraves, Daniel (29 August 2023). "Bristol Rovers loan business discussed amid Newcastle and Liverpool example". BristolLive. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  21. ^ Hargraves, Daniel (29 January 2024). "Bristol Rovers' most local of lads now has clear sight of what has been the inevitable target". Bristol Post. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  22. ^ a b "Games played by Matthew Cox in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  23. ^ Bristol Rovers F.C. at the Football Club History Database
  24. ^ "Young Dons keeper earns England call-up". www.afcwimbledon.co.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  25. ^ "England MU19s squad set for training camp at St. George's Park". The Football Association. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  26. ^ "Season extended for Matthew after England call-up!". www.afcwimbledon.co.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  27. ^ "Oyegoke features as England Under-19s draw in Germany". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  28. ^ "Matthew Cox earns first England Under-20 call-up". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  29. ^ "Adedokun and Cox feature on Monday". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  30. ^ "Cox and Oyegoke in England Under-19 squad". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  31. ^ "Cox and Oyegoke knocked out of U20 World Cup". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  32. ^ "England MU21 squad for October qualifiers". The Football Association. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  33. ^ "The 16 Brentford players on international duty this month". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  34. ^ "Every Brentford player on international duty this month". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  35. ^ "Matthew's flourishing career started when he was spotted playing rugby!". www.afcwimbledon.co.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  36. ^ Winter, Henry (7 June 2023). "Will to succeed runs deep in England's next generation". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  37. ^ "Matthew Cox – Goalkeeper – First team". AFC Wimbledon. 18 July 2021. Archived from the original on 18 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  38. ^ "Games played by Matthew Cox in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  39. ^ "Games played by Matthew Cox in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  40. ^ "Games played by Matthew Cox in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 July 2022.

External links

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Cox_(footballer)