Alex Parker
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alexander Hershaw Parker[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 2 August 1935 | ||
| Place of birth | Irvine, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 7 January 2010 (aged 74)[2] | ||
| Place of death | Gretna, Scotland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Right back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1950–1952 | Kello Rovers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1952–1958 | Falkirk | 121 | (2) |
| 1958–1965 | Everton | 198 | (5) |
| 1965–1968 | Southport | 76 | (0) |
| 1968–1969 | Ballymena United | ? | (?) |
| 1969–1970 | Drumcondra | 4 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 1955–1958[3] | Scotland U23 | 6 | (0) |
| 1955[4] | Scotland B vs A trial | 1 | (0) |
| 1955–1958 | Scotland | 15 | (0) |
| 1955–1958 | Scottish Football League XI | 9 | (0) |
| 1958–1960[5][6][7] | SFA trial v SFL | 3 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1968–1969 | Ballymena United | ||
| 1970–1971 | Southport | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Alexander Hershaw Parker (2 August 1935 – 7 January 2010) was a Scottish football player and manager. Parker played for Falkirk, Everton and Scotland, amongst others. Parker was named in Falkirk's Team of the Millennium and Everton's Hall of Fame.[8]
Playing career[edit]
Falkirk[edit]
Parker, a fullback, began his career with Kello Rovers, turning semi-professional when he joined Falkirk in 1952. The highlight of Parker's time with the Bairns was their 1957 Scottish Cup victory, as they defeated Kilmarnock in a replayed final.[2]
Everton[edit]
Parker moved to Merseyside in June[9] 1958[10] when Everton paid £18,000 in a double signing of Parker and Eddie O'Hara both from Falkirk.[11] Parker's Toffees debut was delayed by his requirement to fulfil National Service in Cyprus.[2] He eventually became a stalwart in the side which won the 1962–63 league championship, finishing six points ahead of runners-up Tottenham.[2]
After this triumph, however, hamstring injuries started to trouble Parker,[8] and he left Goodison Park in 1965.
Southport[edit]
He joined Southport for £2,000. He stayed 3 years with the Sandgrounders.
Ballymena United[edit]
Parker next moved to Northern Ireland to become player-manager of Ballymena United.
Drumcondra[edit]
He signed for Drumcondra F.C. in December 1969 and made his League of Ireland debut at Tolka Park on 4 January 1970 in a 3–1 defeat to Dundalk. He left for after only three months to return to the UK.
International[edit]
Parker gained his first cap for Scotland against Portugal in 1955 while playing for Falkirk.[2] He was selected in the squad for the 1958 FIFA World Cup, making one appearance against Paraguay.[2] This also transpired to be his final national team cap, which some regarded as "perverse"; former teammate Alex Young stated that Parker was still the best player in his position in Britain.[8] Parker also represented the Scottish Football League XI.[12]
Southport manager[edit]
Parker returned to Souhtport where he was given a coaching role. Two months later he was promoted to manager but this appointment lasted only a single season.
After football[edit]
After his retirement from the footballing world, Parker became a publican in Runcorn. He then lived in Gretna, Dumfriesshire.
Parker died of a heart attack on 7 January 2010.[2]
Career statistics[edit]
International appearances[edit]
| Scotland national team[13] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 1955 | 5 | 0 |
| 1956 | 5 | 0 |
| 1957 | 3 | 0 |
| 1958 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 15 | 0 |
Honours[edit]
- Falkirk
- Everton
- Southport
- Fourth Division: promotion 1966–67[15]
- Scotland
- British Home Championship: 1955–56 (shared)[16]
- Individual
- Rex Kingsley Footballer of the Year: 1957[17]
- Falkirk FC Hall of Fame[17]
- Gwladys Street's Hall of Fame[17]
- Falkirk FC Millennium XI[17]
References[edit]
- ^ "Alex Parker". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g Everton legend of the sixties Alex Parker passes away, Liverpool Echo, 8 January 2010.
- ^ Scotland U23 player Parker, Alex, FitbaStats
- ^ Easter Road game should not have been played, Glasgow Herald (page 4), 22 February 1955
- ^ Scottish trial match at Easter Road Archived 9 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Glasgow Herald, 4 February 1958
- ^ The selectors still have problems Archived 14 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, The Bulletin, 17 March 1959
- ^ Ronnie McDevitt (2016). Scotland in the 60s: The Definitive Account of the Scottish National Football Side During the 1960s. Pitch Publishing. ISBN 9781785312458.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b c Passing of Parker marks loss of Falkirk's finest from golden era, The Scotsman, 9 January 2010.
- ^ "Alex Parker: Scottish international full-back revered at Falkirk and Everton" The Independent 23 January 2010
- ^ ""Alex Parker" evertonfc.com". Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
- ^ "Bairns mourn passing of another 1957 Falkirk cup hero" The Falkirk Herald 16 October 2016
- ^ "SFL player Alexander Hershaw Parker". London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
- ^ Alex Parker at the Scottish Football Association
- ^ "1963/64 Charity Shield". footballsite.co.uk. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
- ^ "Alex Parker 1935 – 2010". Southport FC. 8 January 2010. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
- ^ "Alex Parker". Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
- ^ a b c d "He was quite simply a class act' – Alex Parker of Falkirk FC and Scotland". Falkirk Herald. 13 August 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
"Alex Parker; Scottish international footballer". Herald Scotland. 12 January 2010. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
External links[edit]
- Alex Parker at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database
- Brief Biography at legends section of official Everton site
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