Wealdstone Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of former Stones captain Sam Cox as our new First Team Manager. A fan favourite both on and off the pitch, 34 year old Sam returns to Grosvenor Vale following his successful spell as Interim Manager during the final five games of the 2023/24 season, which culminated in a 3-2 victory at Oldham Athletic on the last day of the campaign to secure the club’s safety.
Sam initially returned to the Stones in January 2024 as First Team Coach after Manager Stuart Maynard departed for Notts County. He then stepped up to take on the Interim Manager role and over saw a fine run of results including a memorable 4-2 win over Dorking and a 1-0 win over champions Chesterfield, to keep the club in the National League.
He brings exceptional coaching talent and experience to the club, holding the prestigious UEFA A Licence which he has been putting into practice while developing young talent at the Tottenham Hotspur Academy. A former graduate of the Spurs academy himself, Cox has nearly 350 career appearances to his name, an impressive record that includes 80 appearances in the Stones colours between 2016 and 2019.
The club were keen to work with Sam again, seeking a manager who is also an outstanding coach, able to inspire and get the best out of a group of young and ambitious players. The decision to appoint Sam on a full-time basis was also driven by the Board’s belief that he embodies the attitude, work ethic and culture we value so much at Wealdstone.
Chairman Rory Fitzgerald said, “Sam is not only highly respected at the Stones, he is also one of the finest young coaches we have in our game. Throughout the 23/24 run in he demonstrated an ability to motivate players, demand high standards and cultivate a positive environment in the dressing room. We are excited to work with him again and confident he will build a squad capable of competing in the National League.”
Sam’s reputation for nurturing talent aligns perfectly with Wealdstone’s long term strategy of blending experienced players with promising youngsters, many of which will have come from Premier League and EFL academies.
On his appointment, Sam commented, “I’m honoured and thrilled to be back at Wealdstone in this role. When I took charge as interim, the reaction from the players, staff and supporters was incredible – and together we achieved something special. I know the potential we have here and I’m determined to build on that. Our ambition is clear: create a culture of hard work, unity and continuous improvement and I’m fully committed to giving everything to see Wealdstone thrive.”
Sam is in the process of appointing his assistant and we will update supporters with further news as soon as it is available.
