Pat Cox is often mistaken for reality TV personality Joey Essex but for him the real star at Hayes & Yeading is the manager, writes Ryan O'Donovan.
The striker does bear a striking resemblance to the I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here camp-mate and finds the comparisons amusing.
But the one man at Kingfield who Cox thinks leaves people more starry-eyed than most is Phil Babb.
The former Liverpool defender enjoyed a glittering career in the Premier League and on the international scene with Ireland.
Cox grew up watching the centre back on television and can scarcely believe he is working with him after joining from Fleet Town last month.
The striker said: “When I first came I was like, ‘The manager is Phil Babb – he played for Liverpool!’
“Just listening to him speak you can tell he knows the game and you get to learn so much with him, so it’s good for me.”
Cox, who began his career under former Hayes & Yeading boss Nas Bashir at Reading, has found his feet quickly in his new surroundings.
The 24-year-old has become Babb’s most potent weapon in recent weeks and has retained his position as the spearhead of the attack.
Cox added: “I love it here at Hayes – it’s the ideal club for me.
“I’ve played a couple of levels below this and scored a lot of goals. I’ve played a few games, know what the level is all about and I’m just glad to get my first few goals.”
Those goals have helped ease Hayes & Yeading’s relegation fears in recent weeks, with the powerful striker proving a real handful in the Conference South.
United defender Dean Inman told the Gazette he would not want to have to mark Cox, a compliment the powerful number nine welcomes.
Cox concluded: “I think it’s fair in what Dean Inman said.
“I’m up there to try and bully centre halves – that’s what I try to do – as well as scoring goals of course!”
Cox added another to his tally on Easter Monday, netting a consolation goal in a 3-1 defeat at Eastbourne Borough.
Two days earlier United had given their chances of survival in Conference South a boost as Freddie Ladapo struck in a 1-0 triumph over Boreham Wood, but that followed a 1-0 defeat at home to Gosport Borough last Thursday.
