Stateside success for Andover's Paul (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Stateside success for Andover's Paul

12:59pm Wednesday 28th December 2011 in Andover By Sports editor Kerry Miller

THIS year’s Christmas period in the Andover area was completely devoid of football which was a disappointment for a returning prodigal son, back from the States for a family visit.

Andover boy Paul Cox is now playing semi-professionally over there and has been gaining a growing reputation since going over to play at a university in Nebraska. He began when he was just four years old where he met team mate Danny Pollard, who he has played alongside all his life, including in the States. Paul played at New Street until the age of 12 before linking up with his father’s side at Test Valley Lions, where he was able to play with his friends and they went on to win a cup.

Paul moved to AFC Newbury when he was 13 and played there for a couple of seasons before moving to Andover FC for two seasons at the U15 and U16 level.

He also played for Whitchurch United when he was 15 to 18 and was captain of the reserves at 17, also captaining the first team once. When Paul was 11 he was picked up by Southampton FC and played in their development centre for two years and was also school team skipper at John Hanson for five years under Andy Hooper, who was the first person to suggest playing in the States.

He followed up by going for a trial at a company called Firstpointusa and received a number of offers from different schools in America, deciding on Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska. During his first season he was named All Conference Honorable Mention and in his second year there he won the Conference, scoring the winner, from a Danny Pollard cross, which put them into the national tournament. In his third year Paul was again named All Conference Honorable Mention, and this season his last as there is only four year’s eligibility, he scored ten goals and claimed three assists which led him to be named First team All Conference (which is the team of the season and consisted of only four midfielders). Paul was fourth top scorer and the top scoring midfielder in the league, which is quite an achievement with the defending national champions in their Conference.

In 2009 in the United States Paul played in the Premier Development League, which is classed as semi pro over there, for Cincinnati Kings. It is known to be the shop window for people looking to go professional and for this summer, following his success in the Conference, he is talking to a number of Premier Development League clubs about having one more crack at the next level.