Football League winger Dean Cox does the game proud by playing for free

ALL the same, these professional footballers. If they aren’t consumed about the size of their appearance bonus, they’re preoccupied with the size of their Louis Vuitton washbags.

Half the reason we all love Non-League football so much is because of the lack of prima donnas, but the further up you go the greed train seems to gather pace. It’s always nice to set the record straight.

I caught up with a Football League heavyweight last week. Adored by Leyton Orient fans, Dean Cox could probably command whatever wage he wanted after a number of great years in the club’s shirt.

The winger has every right to be sulking. Paperwork issues on his release from his big-money contract on deadline day landed him in a whole heap of trouble. All he wanted was to play.

The League Two club were too slow to get the particulars sorted, and it meant he couldn’t sign for another pro side until January. He had put pen to paper at Crawley, but red tape means he can’t play anything other than semi-pro football until the New Year.

What next? Well Cox put the feelers out. A player most reckon is easily good enough for League One had to look below the National League, destination seemingly the South.

Eastbourne and Whitehawk were keen – at least getting a few hundred quid a week will keep things ticking over.

Staying sharp

He ended up going lower, and last Saturday pulled on the shirt of Burgess Hill Town, a side scraping to stay in the Ryman Premier. Not only that, he has told them he doesn’t want paying.

Not receiving a penny from Crawley until he actually kicks a ball for them, he says this is all about giving something back.

“I love football, I love the game in this area and I wanted to do something to support it,” he told me after his debut where he beamed about a double assist against Jimmy Bullard’s Leatherhead.

“Burgess Hill is around the corner from me as well in fairness! I worked under Chappers (Ian Chapman) at Brighton and I wanted him to be my manager again, so it was an easy decision.

“They say footballers have it easy, but I’m training every day at Crawley and then on Tuesday and Thursday I’m in with the Burgess Hill boys at 7pm – and I’m not seeing a penny!

“I wouldn’t have it any other way really. They are helping me keep sharp and get ready for January 3 when finally I’m allowed to play. It’s 82 days and counting!”

When Cox does return to the League in January, fully expect Crawley to feel the benefit.