McClure Alex Image 4 Aston Villa 1924

Description

Workington, Cumberland born centre half Alex McClure joined Second Division Birmingham from Grangetown Juniors in 1911, making his Football League debut against Stockport County in January 1912, playing for Birmingham both sides of the First World War, during which he served in the Armed Forces, serving in the Royal Navy and was involved in the Zeebrugge Raid in April 1918, before establishing himself as club captain and linchpin of the first team’s defence. He played for the Football League in a 1-0 victory over the Irish Football League in Belfast in October 1921 and played 40 games as Birmingham won the 1921 Second Division Championship.

Having lost his place in the Birmingham line-up in October 1923, he signed for Aston Villa in February 1924 after 4 goals in 198 appearances for The Blues, but his stay at Villa Park was relatively brief, signing for Stoke City in September 1924 after only 7 appearances in claret and blue. After 31 games over two seasons for The Potters he joined Coventry City in the summer of 1926, scoring 7 times in 51 appearances during his two seasons at Highfield Road before he joined Walsall in March 1928.

He played 11 times for Walsall before the end of the 1927-28 season, moving to Luton Town where he didn’t break into their first eleven, before moving to non league Market Harborough Town a year later, already aged 37. On retiring from playing he worked for short periods as trainer at various clubs, including trainer of Birmingham’s juniors, and in 1932 he was appointed assistant manager of the club under Leslie Knighton and later under George Liddell before leaving football.

His nephew was footballer Joe McClure who played for a number of clubs, most notably making 34 appearances for Everton in the early 1930’s and also playing for among others Brentford and Exeter City.