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Alex Smith (footballer, born 1939)

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Full name
  
Alexander Smith

1958–1959
  
Position
  
Inside forward

Years
  
Team

Current team
  
Falkirk F.C.

Playing position
  
Inside forward

Role
  
Football player

Place of birth
  
Name
  
Alex Smith


Alex Smith (footballer, born 1939) newsbbcimgcoukmediaimages66280000jpg66280

Date of birth
  
(1939-12-25) 25 December 1939 (age 76)

Alex Smith MBE (born 25 December 1939), is a Scottish former football player and manager. His major achievements as manager include winning the Scottish Cup in 1987 (with St Mirren) and 1990 (with Aberdeen), and the Scottish League Cup (again with Aberdeen) in 1989. In the 2005 book on Scottish football, The Final Whistle? he was described as "the nearest thing the Scottish game has to a father figure".

Contents

Alex Smith (footballer, born 1939) idailymailcoukipix2015053001292672760000

Biography

Smith was born in Cowie, a mining village close to Stirling, and played in the same youth team as Billy Bremner. He was best man at Bremner's wedding. His playing career was journeymanlike, and he played for Kilmarnock, Stenhousemuir, Stirling Albion and Albion Rovers.

His managerial career began in 1968 with Stenhousemuir. In 1974, he became manager of Stirling Albion and would manage the club for 12 years, winning the Division Two championship in 1977. Stirling Albion remained in the second tier for four seasons, and were relegated in 1981 after failing to score a league goal for eight months, Smith nonetheless remained at the club until 1986 when he moved to St Mirren, with whom he would win the Scottish Cup in 1987.

Smith and co-manager Jocky Scott succeeded Ian Porterfield at Aberdeen in 1988. For the next three seasons Aberdeen were the premier rivals to Rangers, finishing runners-up in each of those seasons. They would win the double of the League Cup and Scottish Cup in 1990, and in 1991 would go into their final game at Ibrox needing only a draw to win the League championship on goals scored. A 2–0 defeat courtesy of a Mark Hateley double sealed a third straight title for Rangers. They began the next season well, including a 2–0 win at Ibrox, but a slump in form resulted in his dismissal in February 1992.

He would later manage Clyde, Dundee United and Ross County. Smith later worked as technical director at Falkirk. In June 2009 he was appointed assistant to the then head coach Eddie May. In March 2013 he was appointed interim manager at the club following the departure of Steven Pressley. He was again placed in interim charge in September 2017, after Peter Houston left.

Smith has been involved with Scotland at a number of levels, managing the Scotland under-18 and under-21 sides. He also took charge of the Scotland B squad in January 2007, alongside Bobby Williamson.

Manager

Stenhousemuir
  • Stirlingshire Cup : 1970-71
  • Stirling Albion
  • Stirlingshire Cup : 1976-77, 1977–78, 1983–84
  • Scottish League Second Division: 1976–77
  • St Mirren
  • Scottish Cup : 1986–87
  • Aberdeen (co-manager with Jocky Scott)
  • Scottish Cup : 1989–90
  • Scottish League Cup : 1989–90
  • Aberdeenshire Cup : 1989-90,1990–91
  • Personal

  • SPL Manager of the Month: 3
  • References

    Alex Smith (footballer, born 1939) Wikipedia