Alexander McCluckie McSpadyen (19 December 1914 – 1978) was a Scottish footballer who played as an outside right, mainly for Partick Thistle as well as for Aberdeen as a guest player during World War II[2] and Portadown after the conflict ended.[3]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alexander McCluckie McSpadyen | ||
| Date of birth | 19 December 1914 | ||
| Place of birth | Holytown, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 1978 (aged 63–64) | ||
| Place of death | Bellshill, Scotland | ||
| Position(s) | Outside right | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1933 | Chapelhall Juveniles[1] | ||
| 1934 | Newarthill Hearts[1] | ||
| 1934–1935 | Holytown United[1] | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1935–1948 | Partick Thistle | 123 | (12) |
| 1948–1949 | Portadown | ||
| International career | |||
| 1938–1941 | Scottish League XI | 3 | (1) |
| 1938–1939 | Scotland | 2 | (0) |
| 1940 | Scotland (wartime) | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Having been brought in to the Partick squad as an inexperienced teenager to potentially replace the long-serving Davie Ness,[1] McSpadyen won the Glasgow Merchants Charity Cup at the end of his first season with the Jags[4] quickly became a first-team regular and gained international recognition[5] before his career progress was halted by the outbreak of war, which occurred when he was aged 24 and appeared to be coming to the peak of his abilities. He joined the Army and appeared for their select team in charity matches,[6] while also finding time to play for Partick Thistle in wartime competitions when possible. This brought his total number of appearances for the club to 297 with 33 goals,[7] although his official SFL and Scottish Cup totals were less than half of that (130/13).[5] After playing for Portadown, he returned to Holytown United as a trainer until the club folded a year later.[8]
McSpadyen represented Scotland twice,[9] also playing in one unofficial wartime match,[10] and making three appearances for the Scottish Football League XI,[11] all between 1938 and 1941.
References
edit- ^ a b c d Rapid Rise, the Sunday Post, 17 March 1935, via Partick Thistle History Archive
- ^ Alex McSpadyen, AFC Heritage Trust
- ^ "Alex McSpadyen". Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
- ^ Queen's in too big a hurry, The Sunday Post, 12 May 1935, via Partick Thistle History Archive
- ^ a b John Litster (October 2012). "A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players". Scottish Football Historian magazine.
- ^ Player Representative Honours, Partick Thistle History Archive
- ^ Players Mac / Mc, Partick Thistle History Archive
- ^ 'The Men Who Made Scotland: The Definitive Who's Who of Scottish Football Internationalists 1872-1939' by Andrew Mitchell, p.144 (published 2021) ISBN 979-8513846642
- ^ "[Scotland player] Alex McSpadyen". London Hearts Supporters Club. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
- ^ Irish XI v Scottish XI, 28 April 1940, 11v11.com
- ^ (SFL player) Alec McSpadyen, London Hearts Supporters Club