Albion Rovers star David Cox has announced his retirement from football after allegedly being mocked over his mental health by an opponent.
The 32-year-old forward - who has spoken previously about his mental health struggles and trying to commit suicide six years ago - left Ochilview at half-time of Rovers' 1-0 win over Stenhousemuir on Thursday and posted a video on Facebook explaining his decision to quit the game.
Cox, who was on the bench, alleges a Stenny player made a shocking slur that forced him to leave the stadium and quit the game once and for all.
Lanark man Cox said in a video posted on social media: "One of the boys on the Stenny team...we were having a wee bit of to-and-fro on the bench and they had a wee go at my mental health.
"He told me I should have done it right the first time.
"So I promised myself the next time it happened [verbal abuse] I'd walk off the park.
"I am done with football, completely. Some folk might not think it's a big deal, I'm f*****g fed up listening to it.
"I don't get paid enough for it and if they'd put me on the park I'd probably have broken the boy's legs - deliberately.
"I tried to speak to the referees about it, they didn't want to know because they didn't hear it.
"It's the same s*** we're talking about all the time, we talk about racism and the personal issues that get brought up in football, but if it's not heard by officials or whatever there's nothing they can do about it, so I'm going to do something about it and for me it's leaving the game.
"I'm done with it...because if I keep playing and I'm going to batter somebody on the park, which is going to result in me being the bad one."
Cox adds: "Nothing is going to get done about it. Football is full of s**** with the things that they say and it's going to continue to happen.
"So I'm done - I'm hanging the boots up for good.
"It's bad enough coming from fans, but when you need to listen to it from folk on the park and players...
"I would never mock somebody for trying to kill themselves and telling them they should do it right the first time.
"I'm a bit emotional about it. I'm really angry. I'm 100 per cent done, but something needs to be done."
Stenhousemuir have said they will be referring the incident to the Scottish FA.
The club will be referring an incident in tonight’s game to the Scottish FA for a full investigation. https://t.co/bQnm5ICRK0
— Stenhousemuir FC (@StenhousemuirFC) April 29, 2021
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