Alex Parker

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]

Alex Parker
Personal information
Full name Alexander Hershaw Parker[1]
Date of birth (1935-08-02)2 August 1935
Place of birth Irvine, Scotland
Date of death 7 January 2010(2010-01-07) (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)
National team
1955–1958[3] Scotland U23 6 (0)
1955[4] Scotland B vs A trial 1 (0)
1955–1958 Scotland 15 (0)
1955–1958 Scottish League XI 9 (0)
1958–1960[5][6][7] SFA trial v SFL 3 (0)
Teams managed
1968–1969 Ballymena United
1970–1971 Southport
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Falkirk

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

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

He joined Southport for £2,000. He stayed 3 years with the Sandgrounders.

Ballymena United

Parker next moved to Northern Ireland to become player-manager of Ballymena United.

Drumcondra

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

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 League XI.[12]

Southport manager

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

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

International appearances
Scotland national team[13]
YearAppsGoals
195550
195650
195730
195820
Total150

Honours
Falkirk
Everton

References
  1. "Alex Parker". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  2. Everton legend of the sixties Alex Parker passes away, Liverpool Echo, 8 January 2010.
  3. Scotland U23 player Parker, Alex, FitbaStats
  4. Easter Road game should not have been played, Glasgow Herald (page 4), 22 February 1955
  5. Scottish trial match at Easter Road, Glasgow Herald, 4 February 1958
  6. The selectors still have problems, The Bulletin, 17 March 1959
  7. Ronnie McDevitt (2016). Scotland in the 60s: The Definitive Account of the Scottish National Football Side During the 1960s. Pitch Publishing. ISBN 9781785312458.
  8. Passing of Parker marks loss of Falkirk's finest from golden era, The Scotsman, 9 January 2010.
  9. "Alex Parker: Scottish international full-back revered at Falkirk and Everton" The Independent 23 January 2010
  10. ""Alex Parker" evertonfc.com". Archived from the original on 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  11. "Bairns mourn passing of another 1957 Falkirk cup hero" The Falkirk Herald 16 October 2016
  12. "SFL player Alexander Hershaw Parker". London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  13. Alex Parker at the Scottish Football Association
  14. "1963/64 Charity Shield". footballsite.co.uk. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
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