Paul Cox (footballer)

Paul Richard Cox (born 6 January 1972) is an English former professional footballer who is the manager of National League club Barrow.

In an eleven-year career as a player, Cox played in the Football League with his hometown club Notts County before playing in non-league football with several clubs, most notably Kettering Town.

Cox moved into coaching at Eastwood Town in 2003, becoming the manager in 2005. He won the Northern Premier League in 2008-09, and left the club for Mansfield Town in 2011, with whom he won the Conference Premier in 2012–13, before leaving in November 2014.

Cox was born in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire. As a player, he was a defender who could play as right-back or as a central defender. He began his career at his hometown club Notts County, making his first-team debut against Manchester City on 25 April 1992, coming on as a substitute for Kevin Bartlett. Cox spent five years at Notts County, playing just over 40 matches, and also had a short loan spell with Hull City.

At the end of the 1994–95 season, Cox was released by Notts County, and he subsequently dropped down into non-league football, where he most notably spent five seasons with Kettering Town, and also had spells at Halifax Town and Hucknall Town.

Eastwood Town

In 2003, Cox began his coaching career when he became assistant manager at Eastwood Town of the Northern Premier League. In October 2006, Cox became manager of the club, and steered the club away from the Northern Premier League Division One relegation zone in his first season. The next season, he guided the Badgers to the first of two consecutive promotions, and in 2008–09 he also guided the club to the third round proper of the FA Cup for the first time in the club's history, where they lost to his former team Kettering.

In 2009–10, Cox led Eastwood to an 11th-place finish in their debut season in the Conference North, and in 2010–11, sparked by a 19-match unbeaten run, Eastwood finished in 4th place. However, the club was not allowed to compete in the promotion play-offs because their Coronation Park ground did not have the proper grade to be eligible for promotion to the Conference Premier. On 5 May 2011, Cox resigned as manager of Eastwood Town.

Mansfield Town

On 19 May 2011, Cox was appointed as the manager of Mansfield Town in the Conference Premier on a one-year contract. On 12 April 2012, Cox confirmed a new contract with Mansfield chairman John Radford to keep him at the club for another two seasons.

After Mansfield beat Barrow 8–1 in February 2013, thus improving on their 7–0 win in the reverse fixture, the club's chairman gave Cox his Aston Martin car as a reward.

On 21 November 2014, Cox left Mansfield by mutual consent.

Torquay United

On 17 June 2015, Cox was appointed as the new manager of National League club Torquay United. He resigned after only three months in charge, later revealing that the club had been unable to pay him.

Barrow

On 23 November 2015, Cox was appointed as the manager of National League club Barrow.

Eastwood Town

• Northern Premier League Challenge Cup winners: 2007–08
• Northern Premier League Premier Division winners: 2008–09
• Nottinghamshire Senior Cup winners 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2010–11

Mansfield Town

• Conference Premier winners: 2012–13