RANGERS recently welcomed members of the Sammy Cox Memorial Committee and the family of the club legend to Ibrox, as they celebrate their five-year fundraising journey to commission a bust of Darvel and Rangers legend, Sammy Cox.
Cox was born in the village of Darvel in East Ayrshire and joined Rangers in May 1946 under legendary manager, Bill Struth.
He was an integral part of the great “Iron Curtain” Rangers team that won the club’s first domestic treble in season 1948/49.
Family members and Memorial Committee members spoke to RangersTV as they showcased the bust and marble plaque of the Rangers Hall of Fame legend at Ibrox Stadium this week.
Founder Member of Sammy Cox Memorial Committee, Grant Maclaine, spoke to RangersTV as they brought the plaque to Ibrox. Mr Maclaine outlined how he became involved with the fundraising efforts. He said: “I moved into Darvel and I was aware of the great Rangers team of the 1950s.
“The ‘Iron Curtain Team’ with George Young, Tiger Shaw and Sammy Cox, but what I didn't realise was that Sammy Cox came from the village of Darvel which is only around three and a half thousand people.
“Sammy is revered around the world for the older generation of Rangers fans. When I researched a bit more, I then discovered that the Cox family still lived in the village and were very proud of their uncle and the family's connection with Glasgow Rangers, and Sammy Cox himself.
“It’s very important for all great Rangers legends to be remembered and especially when you come from a village like Darvel.
“We have produced three Rangers legends, all in the Hall of Fame – Sammy Cox, Alex Smith and Nicol Smith. These people are all very important in the history of Glasgow Rangers, and of Darvel as well, so it's a great way to remember them and honour them.
“The amount of people that have put a lot of work into this has been magnificent, so just a big thanks to those involved and a big relief that we've got to the stage.”
Another member of Sammy Cox Memorial Committee, Ian King, added how proud he is of the final commission. He continued: “The final product looks magnificent; it will be great to see it where it's going to be placed.
“It's a great testimony to a great man himself, and I think the family is greatly honoured and appreciates everything we've done. For a wee village of three and a half thousand, it's a phenomenal achievement.”
Brian Cox, the great nephew of Sammy Cox, shared some personal memories of his uncle. He said: “I just hear the stories really because I was a bit young and about how he played against Stanley Matthews and Stanley said he was one of the best players he has ever played against.”
John Gall from Darvel FC followed up by saying: “From what I hear, he was a wonderful football player, one of the best and obviously the best that's ever come out of our area with the Scottish Cap’s he's got.”
Sammy Cox also played for Queen’s Park, Third Lanark, East Fife and Dundee but it is for his legendary “Iron Curtain Team” status that he is so fondly remembered amongst the Rangers support.
Mr Cox passed away in August 2015 at the age of 91.
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