When Neil Cox broke into the first-team at his boyhood club Scunthorpe as a teenager, he may not have known he was set to embark on an almost two-decade long career playing throughout the English footballing pyramid. After just one season in the first team, he drew many suitors and joined Aston Villa but he really found his footing under the tutelage of one of his heroes.

Bryan Robson was a boyhood idol for Cox growing up and when the former Manchester United midfielder came asking for his signature at Middlesbrough, Cox couldn't say no. Fresh off the back of playing and winning the 1994 League Cup final with Villa, Cox signed for Boro as the club's first ever £1 million player.

30 years on, and a former-Manchester United midfielder is sat in the dug-out at the Riverside once again. Michael Carrick has impressed in charge of Boro and has the club sat just outside of the play-off places. How does Cox feel his old side are performing?

“Carrick came last year and made a fantastic journey until the playoffs," Cox told Tribalfootball.com. "This season they have changed because they sold some important players last summer and the team has changed so they have not been as stable.

“But I think that Carrick is creating a stable block and a stable team for next season to be better. I also think the chairman will put at his disposal a vast amount of money for him to spend this summer so next season they can fight properly for promotion."

The Championship is a fiercely competitive league with four teams – Leicester, Ipswich, Leeds and Southampton – vying for automatic promotion. Who does Cox see going up?

“For me, Leicester is having a great season with their manager [Enzo] Maresca who has implemented an attacking philosophy to the team and there are merits in that position.

“It is a tough season but, to be honest, the Championship is always tough. Some teams are at the bottom like Stoke City who everybody thought would be higher in the table and you can see that every week small teams are winning against the biggest teams."

Cox knows all about the agony of the play-offs having lost in the final against Watford with Bolton in 1999. However, his agony was short-lived as legendary Watford manager Graham Taylor decided to buy the defender ahead of their debut campaign in the rebranded Premier League.

Having played in the Premier League, there are few better people to offer their thoughts on this year's campaign. But just how exciting is this title race?

“It looks like this year will be one of the toughest of all time. Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City are fighting to win the title and I think it will be a tough battle until the last minute.

“Another interesting battle will be regarding the last spot in the Champions League for next year where Aston Villa, Tottenham and Manchester United will fight until the end for it.

“Then if you see the bottom of the league, seven or eight teams are fighting to stay in the league and that's why I say it is one of the toughest seasons ever of the Premier League."

Unfortunately, Cox and Watford were relegated in their first season in the top-flight. Following relegation, Taylor was replaced by the iconic Gianluca Vialli whose playing and managerial career had already established him as one of the footballing greats. But what was it like playing under the Italian?

“Vialli came in at Watford as a legend and one of the best players in the history of Chelsea and, despite his pedigree, he was very humble and he treated us all the same. He was not only a top coach and football personality, but also a gentleman.

“Vialli had always had time for us and was always there to listen to us and with him, you could speak for anything not only football matters. When I heard the news of his death, I was very upset and it's a great loss for everyone."

Under Vialli's management, Watford signed Filippo Galli – a defender who had spent over a decade at AC Milan alongside the likes of Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini – who Cox would go on to form a strong centre-half pairing with. Galli may have been in the twilight of his career, but Cox still was astounded by the Italian.

“I was fortunate to play with a great defender like Galli. We formed a great partnership and he helped me a lot, from him I learned a lot of new things regarding the role how to defend."

And, what was he like as a team-mate?

“From a personal point of view, I enjoyed the time with him a lot. We still keep in touch and speak from time to time. He was an absolute gentleman and a terrific footballer."

Cox may have left the Hertfordshire side over two decades ago, but in that time the club have had 24 different permanent managers. What does the former Hornet think of the managerial merry-go-round?

“It's been a big problem at the club since these owners [Gino Pozzo] came [in 2012] and they change managers so often. You can see that there is no consistency, no clear project or plan and this affects the results and performances of the team."

Tom Cleverly was named caretaker manager of the club in March following the dismissal of Valerien Ismael. Cox is intrigued by who the club consider their next permanent boss to be.

“It's interesting to see who will come now as a new coach. The fans have stuck to the club but I think that the owners need to take a step back and elect the new coach and give him the time needed to build a project."

One of Cox's former clubs that have done just that is Villa who have experienced a meteoric rise under the stewardship of Unai Emery. Has Cox been impressed?

"It's been an unbelievable season. They are having very good performances not only in the Premier League but also in Europe. The club seems very stable now, they have started a serious project and they have found the right man to lead like Emery.

“The coach is doing a great job, has implemented an attacking style of football philosophy to the team and the club has backed him by buying the right players. They are fighting for the Champions League and I hope they will achieve this historical success this year."

Cox had a three-year spell at Villa and he considers his time in the Midlands as the best of his career. He said: “My best playing experience was at Aston Villa. It is a massive club and for a player like me who came from a small team was very important. Also, at that time when I went there, the club was doing very well, and it was a dream come true for me to sign for a top club."

And the most difficult time?

“I would say at my last club, Crewe Alexandra, because I was at the end of my career and I wasn't as I was before."

Although he states his time at Crewe as his most difficult, having played at the top level, Cox must have faced some tricky opponents. But who gave him the hardest time?

“In my time as a right-back or centre-back, I came against David Ginola when he was at Newcastle. He caused me lots of problems and I did everything to stop him, even pulling his shirt to give away a foul because it was almost impossible to stop him. Then I faced him again when he moved to Tottenham and I moved to Watford, he was still there to make my life hard!"

After putting his fears of facing Ginola behind and hanging up his boots, Cox wanted to use his wealth of experience to coach others. He began his coaching career at Leek Town before joining AFC Wimbledon as assistant manager to close friend and former Cardiff City team-mate, Neal Ardley. The pair spent a special seven years at the Dons and Cox is impressed by their rise to League Two.

“Wimbledon was an unbelievable story. The club changed, they moved to a new place and with different owners. When I went there, we had the chance to build something important, we had the time to recruit the right players and find the right people.

“In the first year, we saved the team from relegation in the last week, in the second year we finished third and in the third year, we got promoted. I loved every minute there and it was my best experience until now."

What about his other jobs in coaching? And, what is next for Cox?

“The others have been very tough. Regarding my future, I am waiting now to see what kind of jobs will become available and to find the right project for me."

One job that may come available in the summer is with England should Gareth Southgate leave at the end of his current contract. But how does Cox believe Southgate will do at the European Championships this summer?

“Some people say that Southgate has not won a cup but for me, he has done a great job. We have had some wonderful performances and reached the semi-final and the final of two tournaments. He has also put faith into young players.

“This summer could be another important summer for England and I think, and hope, to get into the semi-final and final and bring that trophy home."

- adapted by Jack McRae