Graham Alec Image 7 Arsenal 1922

Description

Hurlford, Ayrshire born centre half Alec Graham played 179 matches for Arsenal scoring 20 goals (of which 13 were penalties) either side of the First World War having made his Football League debut against Notts County on Christmas Day 1912. Having began his football career with Hurlford in 1908, he joined Scottish League club Hamilton Academical in 1909, and played for Larkhall United from where he arrived at Arsenal, originally as a centre forward before moving to left half, also playing right half before establishing himself in the centre from 1920.

During the First World War he played as a guest for both Vale of Leven in 1915 and Hamilton in 1917, where he scored 22 goals in 45 appearances for Accies during 1917-18. In a charity match at Douglas Park in May 1917, he scored 8 times in a 10-0 win over Motherwell. The ball was suitably inscribed and presented to him. In 1918 he left Douglas Park to join Third Lanark.

After the War he re-joined Arsenal and played in their first five post war seasons. He also played once for Scotland in a 2-0 win over Ireland in Belfast in February 1921. While with Arsenal he had a benefit match on 22nd April 1922 when a crowd of 40,000 turned up against Tottenham Hotspur. Graham scored the only goal of the match from a penalty. He was a regular under Leslie Knighton and played his last match for Arsenal in April 1924 before finishing his career with Brentford whom he joined for a £450 fee in December 1924, for whom he scored 11 goals in 49 matches, being appointed as their assistant manager in December 1925, but he left Griffin Park following the appointment of Harry Curtis in May 1926. He then joined Kent League club Folkestone, where he was player-manager, his last club before his eventual retirement. He later managed Botwell Mission, now Hayes.