Mitch Hancox

Hancox in 2012 pre-season
Personal information
Full name	Mitchell John Hancox[1]
Date of birth	(1993-11-09) 9 November 1993 (age 19)[2]
Place of birth	Solihull, England
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[3]
Playing position	Left back
Club information
Current club	Birmingham City
Number	27
Youth career
2001–2012	Birmingham City
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2012–	Birmingham City	7	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:47, 1 January 2013 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals).

Mitchell John "Mitch" Hancox (born 9 November 1993) is an English footballer who plays for Birmingham City. A left back who can also play on the wing, he made his Football League debut in October 2012.

Early life[link]

Hancox was born in Solihull, West Midlands.^[4] He was recruited into Birmingham City's youth system at the age of eight after being noticed playing in a six-a-side competition.^[5] As a youngster, he was a Birmingham City supporter, and particularly admired full-backs Jeff Kenna and Martin Grainger and wing-back Stan Lazaridis.^[5]

While still a 15-year-old Lyndon School student, he played for Birmingham's reserve team. He was picked out as "one of the bright spots of the evening from a home perspective" in a heavy defeat to Arsenal in the 2009–10 Premier Reserve League,^[6][7] and described by then Academy manager Terry Westley as "one of the few players to come out with any credit" from a defeat to Leamington in the Birmingham Senior Cup.^[8] On leaving school, he began a two-year scholarship in July 2010.^[1]

Career[link]

His first competitive involvement with the first team came when he was an unused substitute for the 2011–12 Europa League play-off round second leg against Nacional.^[9] Hancox signed his first professional contract, of six months, in May 2012,^[10] and was given a first-team squad number in August of that year.^[4]

Hancox made his competitive debut in the 1–0 home defeat to Huddersfield Town on 6 October, as a 80th-minute substitute for the injured Curtis Davies.^[11] He played at left back, allowing Paul Robinson to move to centre back, and according to the Birmingham Mail, "can be pleased with his urgent and determined contribution in the last 10 minutes. He's only on a six-month contract but would sweat blood for his boyhood club."^[12] A few days later, he was given a six-month extension to his contract.^[13]

Career statistics[link]

As of match played 5 January 2013.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Mitch Hancox career stats at Soccerbase
• Profile at Birmingham City F.C. website