Ronnie Cocks

Ronnie Cocks
Personal information
Date of birth	1 August 1943
Place of birth	Gżira, Malta
Date of death	16 May 2017 (aged 73)
Position(s)	Striker
Senior career*
Years	Team
1956–1961	Gżira United
1962–1966	Sliema Wanderers
1967	Pittsburgh Phantoms
1968–1974	Sliema Wanderers
1975–1978	Ħamrun Spartans
1978–	Pietà Hotspurs
	Gżira United
International career
1966–1978	Malta
Managerial career
	Pietà Hotspurs
	Mosta
	Gżira United
	Msida
	St. George's
	Pembroke
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ronald Cocks (1 August 1943 – 16 May 2017)^[1] was a Maltese footballer. He captained Malta's national football team 13 times, including in a match against England at Wembley in 1971.^[2]

Playing career

Club

Cocks played mainly for Gżira United and the Sliema Wanderers, and had a short spell with the Pittsburgh Phantoms in 1967.^[3] He was named Maltese Player of the Year for the 1965/66 season.^[2]

International

Cocks made his debut for Malta in a February 1966 friendly match against Libya and earned a total of 21 caps, scoring 1 goal. His final international was a March 1978 friendly against Tunisia.^[1]

Managerial career

He also coached several Maltese clubs, amongst them Pietà, Mosta and Gzira. He later worked at the Academy at Luxol.^[3]

Personal life

Cocks was married to Mona and the couple had two children. During his playing career he also worked as a welder and panel-beater at Gasan Group of Companies, at Panta Lesco and again at Gasan. He also had jobs with Bortex Clothing factory and Heidemann and worked as a fitness instructor at two hotels.^[3]

He died in May 2017.^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b "Ronald Cocks". EU-Football. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
^ ^a ^b Paul Cocks (16 May 2017). "Malta, Wanderers icon Ronnie Cocks passes away, aged 73". Malta Today. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
- Carmel Baldacchino (18 May 2017). "The demise of a great player". Times of Malta. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Sport Interview: He Won every local football honour". Independent. 4 October 2005. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
^ "Malta football icon Ronnie Cocks dies, aged 73". Times of Malta. 16 May 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2024.