Steve Fox (footballer)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Steve Fox

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Stephen Douglas Fox

| birth_date = {{birth date|1958|02|17|df=y}}

| birth_place = Tamworth, England

| death_date = {{death date and age|2012|12|01|1958|02|17|df=y}}

| death_place =

| height = {{height|ft=5|in=8}}{{cite book |last1=Rollin |first1=Jack |title=Rothmans football yearbook |date=1980 |publisher=London : Queen Anne Press |isbn=978-0-362-02017-5 |url=https://archive.org/details/rothmansfootball00roll |access-date=30 November 2022}}

| position = Winger

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Aston Villa

| youthyears2 = | youthclubs2 = Tamworth

| years1 = 1975–1978| clubs1 = Birmingham City| caps1 = 29| goals1= 1

| years2 = 1978–1982| clubs2 = Wrexham| caps2 = 142| goals2 = 10

| years3 = 1982–1984| clubs3 = Port Vale| caps3 = 74| goals3 = 6

| years4 = 1984–1985| clubs4 = Chester City| caps4 = 33| goals4 = 4

| years5 = | clubs5 = Rhyl| caps5 = | goals5 =

| years6 = | clubs6 = Llangollen| caps6 = | goals6 =

| years7 = | clubs7 = Tamworth| caps7 = | goals7 =

| totalcaps = | totalgoals =

}}

Stephen Douglas Fox (17 February 1958 – 1 December 2012) was an English professional footballer who played as a winger. He made 278 appearances in the Football League playing for Birmingham City, Wrexham, Port Vale and Chester City.

He was voted Wrexham's Player of the Year in 1981 and played for the club in the 1979 Welsh Cup final. While with Port Vale, he was promoted out of the Fourth Division in 1982–83 and was also voted onto the PFA Team of the Year.

Career

=Birmingham City=

Fox was born in Tamworth, Staffordshire. He began his football career as a schoolboy with Aston Villa before playing for local club Tamworth F.C. He joined Birmingham City as an apprentice in 1975, signing professional forms in February 1976.{{cite book |last=Matthews |first=Tony |title=Birmingham City: A Complete Record |year=1995 |publisher=Breedon Books |location=Derby |page=87 |isbn=978-1-85983-010-9}} He made his Football League debut a year later, as a substitute in a 2–1 defeat away to West Bromwich Albion in the First Division.Matthews, p. 212. Despite The Times' reporter's view in April 1978 that "Fox looks a fine prospect",{{cite news |title=Youngsters provide cheer as Bowles misses penalty |work=The Times |first=Norman |last=de Mesquita |date=26 April 1978 |page=9}} the player was unable to hold down a regular first-team place, and joined Second Division club Wrexham in December the same year after manager Arfon Griffiths paid out a £95,000 fee.{{cite news|title=Tributes to former Wrexham FC player Steve Fox|url=http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/2012/12/02/tributes-to-former-wrexham-fc-player-steve-fox-55578-32350584/|accessdate=3 December 2012|newspaper=Daily Post|date=2 December 2012}}

=Wrexham=

He spent nearly four years with Wrexham, during which time he helped the club to reach the Fifth Round of the FA Cup on two occasions{{cite web |url=https://www.fchd.info/WREXHAM.HTM |title=Wrexham |work=Football Club History Database |publisher=Richard Rundle |access-date=3 February 2009}} and scored in the final of the Welsh Cup in 1979, in which Wrexham lost to Shrewsbury Town on aggregate.{{cite web |url=http://www.wfda.co.uk/welshcup_final_detail.php?id=92 |title=Welsh Cup Final 1978/79 |publisher=Welsh Football Data Archive |accessdate=3 February 2009}} He also played and scored for the club in the European Cup Winners' Cup.{{cite web |url=http://wfda.co.uk/europe_details.php?id=63 |title=Welsh Clubs in Europe: Wrexham 3–2 FC Magdeburg |publisher=Welsh Football Data Archive |accessdate=3 February 2009}} At the end of the 1980–81 season he was voted the club's Player of the Year. However, he was allowed to leave the club due to pressing financial problems at Wrexham. In 2008, the sports editor of the Wrexham Evening Leader selected Fox as a substitute in his "greatest Wrexham team ever".{{cite news |url=http://www.eveningleader.co.uk/speakout/The-greatest-Wrexham-team-ever.3646918.jp?articlepage=2 |title=The greatest Wrexham team ever – HAVE YOUR SAY |first=Nick |last=Harrison |work=Wrexham Evening Leader |date=7 January 2008 |accessdate=3 February 2009}}

=Port Vale=

Fox joined Port Vale in October 1982 after being signed by manager John McGrath as a replacement for the outgoing Mark Chamberlain.{{cite book |last=Kent |first=Jeff |title=Port Vale Personalities |publisher=Witan Books |page=106 |year=1996 |isbn=0-9529152-0-0}} On 29 January 1983, he claimed three assists and scored the other goal in a 4–1 win over Mansfield Town at Vale Park.{{cite news |last1=Baggaley |first1=Mike |title=Outplayed and out of the Trophy |url=https://portvalethevaliant.substack.com/p/outplayed-and-out-of-the-trophy |access-date=5 February 2025 |work=Valiant's Substack |date=5 February 2025}} He was a regular first-team player in 1982–83, scoring three goals in 35 games, and was included in the PFA select Fourth Division team for that season as the "Valiants" were promoted in third place. He also was a regular the following season, scoring three goals in 47 games, but issued a transfer request and left on a free transfer. He had fallen out with new boss John Rudge, though he later admitted his regret at leaving the club. Rudge said that he "was a skilful wide man who would always create a lot of chances".{{cite news|last=Pearson|first=Guy|title=Messages of encouragement flood in for old boy Steve|url=http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/Port-Vale-Messages-encouragement-flood-old-boy/story-16427084-detail/story.html|accessdate=21 June 2012|newspaper=The Sentinel|date=21 June 2012}}

=Later career=

Fox followed John McGrath to Chester City in 1984–85 and 1985–86,{{cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player2/stevefox.html |title=Steve Fox |work=UK A–Z Transfers |publisher=Neil Brown |accessdate=3 February 2009}} although he would not feature for the club again after the opening game of the latter campaign against Halifax Town.{{cite book | author=Chas Sumner | title=On the Borderline: The Official History of Chester City 1885–1997 | year=1997| page= stats section (85–86) | publisher=Yore Publications |isbn=1-874427-52-6}} His contract was terminated in October 1985 after an argument with new manager Harry McNally.{{cite news|last=Jones|first=Pete|title=RIP – Steve Fox|url=http://www.wrexhamafc.co.uk/news/article/steve-fox-rip-12.12-521071.aspx|accessdate=3 December 2012|newspaper=wrexhamafc.co.uk|date=2 December 2012}} This marked the end of his professional career and he moved into non-League football with Rhyl (of the Northern Premier League), Llangollen and former club Tamworth.

Style of play

Fox was a pacey winger.

Later life

After retiring as a player, Fox became a landscape gardener. Fox and wife Helen had two children: Matthew and Daniel.{{cite news|title=Cancer stricken Steve Fox recalls the good times at Vale Park and his regret at leaving|url=http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/Port-Vale-Cancer-stricken-Steve-Fox-recalls-good/story-16426989-detail/story.html|accessdate=21 June 2012|newspaper=The Sentinel|date=21 June 2012}} Fox was diagnosed with lung cancer in April 2012, and was given six months to live by doctors. He died on 1 December 2012.{{cite web |url=http://www.port-vale.co.uk/news/article/20121203-steve-fox-rip-521695.aspx |title=Steve Fox R.I.P. |first=Phil |last=Sherwin |publisher=Port Vale F.C |date=3 December 2012 |accessdate=3 December 2012}}

Career statistics

Source:{{ENFA}}

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|FA Cup !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="4"\|Birmingham City \|1976–77 \|First Division \|4	1	0	0	0	0	4	1
1977–78 \|First Division \|11	0	0	0	0	0	11	0
1978–79 \|First Division \|14	0	0	0	0	0	14	0
colspan="2"\|Total !29	1	0	0	0	0	29	1
rowspan="6"\|Wrexham \|1978–79 \|Second Division \|21	1	3	0	0	0	24	1
1979–80 \|Second Division \|38	6	4	0	4	1	46	7
1980–81 \|Second Division \|38	6	5	1	0	0	43	7
1981–82 \|Second Division \|38	1	4	0	4	0	44	1
1982–83 \|Third Division \|6	0	0	0	2	0	8	0
colspan="2"\|Total !142	10	16	2	10	1	168	13
rowspan="3"\|Port Vale \|1982–83 \|Fourth Division \|34	3	1	0	0	0	35	3
1983–84 \|Third Division \|40	3	1	0	6	0	47	3
colspan="2"\|Total !74	6	2	0	6	0	82	6
rowspan="3"\|Chester City \|1984–85 \|Fourth Division \|32	4	1	1	3	0	36	5
1985–86 \|Fourth Division \|1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
colspan="2"\|Total !33	4	1	1	3	0	37	5
colspan="3"\|Career total !278	21	19	3	19	1	316	25

Honours

Individual

Wrexham A.F.C. Player of the Year: 1981
PFA Fourth Division Team of the Year: 1982–83{{cite news |title=Cult Hero 16: Steve Fox |url=https://www.onevalefan.co.uk/2012/01/16-steve-fox/ |accessdate=1 June 2020 |work=onevalefan.co.uk |date=30 January 2012}}

Wrexham

Welsh Cup runner-up: 1979

Port Vale

Football League Fourth Division third-place promotion: 1982–83{{cite book|last=Kent|first=Jeff|title=The Valiants' Years: The Story of Port Vale|publisher=Witan Books|year=1990|pages=258–290|chapter=From Rags to Riches (1979–1990)|isbn=0-9508981-4-7}}