Neil Fox

Neil Fox (born 4 May 1939) is an English former rugby league footballer and player-coach who played in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and coached in the 1970s and 1980s.

A left-footed goal-kicking , he set rugby league's all-time points record, scoring 6,220 points during his career. The brother of fellow rugby league players, Peter and Don Fox, Neil played for Yorkshire clubs Wakefield Trinity (two spells), Bradford Northern (two spells), Hull Kingston Rovers, York, Bramley and Huddersfield.

He grew up supporting Huddersfield, and went on to sign for Wakefield Trinity at 16 years of age.

Playing career 1950s In 1956, Fox became the joint fifth youngest player to make his début for Wakefield Trinity, aged 16 years and 3 months. Fox was selected for Yorkshire County XIII whilst at Wakefield Trinity during the 1958–59 and 1959–60 seasons. Fox played as a in Wakefield Trinity's 17–12 victory over Australia in a 1956–57 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France match at Belle Vue, Wakefield on Monday 10 December 1956. Fox scored 2 goals in Wakefield Trinity's 20–24 defeat by Leeds in the 1958–59 Yorkshire Cup Final at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Saturday 18 October 1958 during the 1958–59 season. He made his international début in 1959, playing for Great Britain.

1960s Fox played at and scored two tries, and 7 goals in Wakefield Trinity's 38–5 victory over Hull F.C. in the 1959–60 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, London on 14 May 1960 in front of a crowd of 79,773. This was a new record for most points in a Challenge Cup Final. This feat was equalled by Iestyn Harris (1 try and 8 goals) in Leeds Rhinos' victory over the London Broncos in the 1999 Challenge Cup Final. The next week, Fox played as a in Wakefield Trinity's 3–27 defeat by Wigan in the 1959–60 Championship final at Odsal Stadium on Saturday 21 May 1960.

Fox played , and scored two tries and two goals, in the 16–10 victory over Huddersfield in the 1960–61 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1960–61 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 29 October 1960. 1968 was the final year Fox played for Yorkshire, having made 17 appearances since his début in 1958.

Off the field, circa-1968, Fox owned a Turf accountant's business in Goldthorpe. He left Wakefield Trinity for the first time in 1969, joining Bradford Northern. In 1969 he played in his final international match for Great Britain.

1970s Fox returned to Wakefield Trinity in 1970, where he moved to and became the coach. He scored a goal in Wakefield Trinity's 11–22 defeat by Halifax in the 1971–72 Player's No.6 Trophy Final at Odsal Stadium on Saturday 22 January 1972.

Fox coached Wakefield Trinity to a 2–7 defeat by Leeds in the 1973–74 Yorkshire Cup Final at Odsal Stadium on Saturday 20 October 1973.

Post playing In the 1983 Birthday Honours, Fox was made a member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to rugby league. Fox was inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame in 1989. On 30 August 2005 Fox, along with Billy Boston and Mick Sullivan, opened the Rugby League Heritage Centre.

In 2005 his autobiography was published by London League Publications Ltd.

On Thursday 20 August 2009, at a ceremony at Wheldon Road, the home of Castleford, Fox was named as part of the "Arriva Yorkshire Rugby League Dream Team" and had a bus named after him by Arriva Yorkshire. In 2010 he was awarded the Freedom of the City of Wakefield. The Wakefield Eastern Relief Road, opened in 2017, was named Neil Fox Way in his honour.