Brian Cox enjoyed the view from the 2nd floor of the Kangaroos’ plush new facility on Friday afternoon.

Both the suburb of North Melbourne and the football club hold many memories for ‘Coxy’, the man behind MARC (Melbourne Alcohol Recovery Centre), but his observations have changed dramatically over the years.

“I grew up around the corner and we used to knock around here a lot. I remember watching greyhound races here. I remember sleeping in the cattle yards up there at Flemington, and I remember getting picked up by the police around here,” Cox recalled.

With seemingly boundless energy, Cox speaks with a brutal honesty that disarms those around him. He openly admits to once being a “hopeless, fall-down, useless drunk” and is happy to talk about his time locked up in most of the jails throughout Australia.

Cox has experienced first-hand the effects of alcoholism and he has been exposed to the damage it has caused to those around him. Many he has helped bury and countless others he has tried to help, but in vain.

Over 20 years ago Cox’s journey out from the dark abyss began with the stark realisation that if he didn’t stop drinking, his days were numbered. He gave up the drink and immediately started helping others. He looked after people in his housing commission flat and worked tirelessly to get them sober.

“The only way I could stay sober was to help other people. If I didn’t have that to put my energy too, I’d be dead, there are no two ways about it.”

He quickly outgrew his flat and moved to a bigger house after taking on more responsibility and more cases. Soon he expanded further and acquired more houses later developing a reputation among police and in the courts as being a positive and stabilising influence.

Ironically the rough and tumble former truckie, who had more than a few brushes with the law, now receives funding from the Justice Department.

Cox is a man on a mission.

“We preach total abstinence, which is different from the government strategy of harm-minimisation.”

MARC residents are often released from jail or referred from other service providers. All its houses are alcohol-free and residents undertake a 12-step program.

“I’m not saying people shouldn’t drink, I’m saying that we (MARC residents) shouldn’t drink, because we can’t handle it.”

North Melbourne midfielder Andrew Swallow became a MARC ambassador after hearing Cox share his experiences with the Roos’ playing group in 2008.

Like many of his team mates, Swallow was taken aback by what he heard and sought the opportunity to get involved.

“One of the biggest eye-openers was the amount of people who seem to have normal lives, but are struggling with alcoholism,” Swallow said.

“Regardless of their profession and how much money they have, if they are athletes, doctors, lawyers or running successful businesses, there are people out there who are affected by it.

“With such a young group it’s invaluable for our players to hear that message from someone like Coxy who has lived it firsthand. Everyone is susceptible to making the wrong choices sometimes and no-one is bullet-proof.”

Eight MARC residents joined Swallow and Cox at Arden Street on Friday for a tour, strength and conditioning talk and a preview of the round 22 game against Melbourne.

The partnership, while still in its early stages, is progressing well.

“To have an AFL club actually take an interest in us and give us this opportunity...we are just so thankful,” said Cox.

“If we didn’t have this (MARC), we aren’t sure where we’d be... in fact we’d probably be dead.”

“We are growing, we are helping people all the time but this problem is absolutely rife in the community and we need support, we need funding and we need the public to get behind us.”