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Alec McClure

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Alec McClure
Personal information
Full name Alexander McClure[1]
Date of birth (1892-04-03)3 April 1892
Place of birth Workington, England
Date of death 2 October 1971(1971-10-02) (aged 79)
Place of death Birmingham, England
Height 5 ft 11+1⁄2 in (1.82 m)[2]
Position(s) Centre half
Youth career
– Grangetown Juniors
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1912–1923 Birmingham 192 (4)
1923–1924 Aston Villa 7 (0)
1924–1926 Stoke 28 (0)
1926–1928 Coventry City 49 (7)
1928 Walsall 11 (0)
Total 287 (11)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Alexander McClure (3 April 1892 – 2 October 1971) was an English professional footballer who played as a centre half. He played for Birmingham both before and after the First World War, making 198 appearances in all competitions, and helped them win the championship of the Second Division in 1920–21. He also played in the Football League for Aston Villa, Stoke, Coventry City and Walsall.[1][3]

Career

[edit]

McClure was born in Workington, Cumberland, on 3 April 1892.[1][4] He was a powerful player with good positional ability, who captained Birmingham's reserve team before establishing himself as club captain and linchpin of the first team's defence. He played for the Football League XI in 1921–22 against the Irish Football League.[3][5] After leaving Birmingham he went on to play for four other Midlands teams, Aston Villa, Stoke, Coventry City and Walsall.[1] On retiring from playing he worked for short periods as trainer at various clubs, including as trainer of Birmingham's juniors, and in 1932 he was appointed assistant manager of the club under Leslie Knighton and later under George Liddell.[3][5]

During the First World War McClure served in the Royal Navy and was involved in the Zeebrugge Raid.[3][5] After leaving football he worked for Rudge motorcycles and went on to run a successful haulage business in Small Heath, Birmingham.[3][5] The 1939 Register finds him living with his wife, Amy, in Kenelm Road, Small Heath, and engaged in war work, collecting scrap metal from factories.[6] He was still resident at that address at the time of his death in Birmingham on 2 October 1971 at the age of 79.[7][8] A nephew, Joe McClure, also became a professional footballer.[9]

Career statistics

[edit]

Source:[4]

Club Season League FA Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Birmingham 1911–12 Second Division 7 0 0 0 7 0
1912–13 Second Division 19 0 0 0 19 0
1913–14 Second Division 16 0 2 0 18 0
1914–15 Second Division 4 0 0 0 4 0
1919–20 Second Division 24 0 2 0 26 0
1920–21 Second Division 40 2 1 0 43 2
1921–22 First Division 35 1 0 0 35 1
1922–23 First Division 38 1 1 0 39 1
1923–24 First Division 9 0 0 0 9 0
Total 192 4 6 0 198 4
Aston Villa 1923–24 First Division 5 0 0 0 5 0
1924–25 First Division 2 0 0 0 2 0
Total 7 0 0 0 7 0
Stoke 1924–25 Second Division 24 0 1 0 25 0
1925–26 Second Division 4 0 2 0 6 0
Total 28 0 3 0 31 0
Coventry City 1926–27 Third Division South 35 6 1 0 36 6
1927–28 Third Division South 14 1 1 0 15 1
Total 49 7 2 0 51 7
Walsall 1927–28 Third Division South 11 0 0 0 11 0
Career total 287 11 11 0 298 11

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 164. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  2. ^ Official Football Programme. Programme Syndicate for Everton F.C. and Liverpool F.C. 23 December 1922. p. 12.
  3. ^ a b c d e Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 108. ISBN 1-85983-010-2.
  4. ^ a b Alec McClure at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  5. ^ a b c d Matthews, Tony (2000). The Encyclopedia of Birmingham City Football Club 1875–2000. Cradley Heath: Britespot. p. 145. ISBN 0-9539288-0-2.
  6. ^ "1939 England and Wales Register for Alexander McClure". RG 101/5565G Birmingham QBHL 384/8 – via Ancestry.com.
  7. ^ "Index entry". FreeBMD. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  8. ^ "Find a will: Wills and probate 1858–1996: McClure 1971". UK Probate Service. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  9. ^ "Nuneaton Town 1919–1937 Part 2" (PDF). Retrieved 10 October 2016.
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