Ted Alley

Edwin John Alley (30 July 1881 – 18 July 1949) was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Some AFL sources list his name as Ned Alley.[3]

Ted Alley
Cigarette card of Alley in 1905
Personal information
Full name	Edwin John Alley[1]
Date of birth	30 July 1881
Place of birth	St Arnaud, Victoria
Date of death	18 July 1949(1949-07-18) (aged 67)
Place of death	Canterbury, Victoria[2]
Original team(s)	Footscray Juniors
Height	173 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Weight	71 kg (157 lb)
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1902–1903	South Melbourne	16 (2)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1903.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Alley appeared in 15 of South Melbourne 17 games in the 1902 VFL season.[4] He played just once the following year.[4]

He transferred to Williamstown in the VFA in 1905 and played 160 games and kicked 20 goals up until when the First World War intervened in 1915. In 1907, with regular captain Paddy Noonan having stood down, Alley captained Williamstown to an 18-point grand final victory over West Melbourne, in the Victorian Football Association. This gave him the distinction of being Williamstown's first ever premiership captain.[5] He also served as captain-coach for part of 1911 after Bert Amy resigned and as captain in 1915.

Alley, who made his living as an engineer, served overseas with the 3rd Pioneer Battalion during World War I.

He played for the (winning) Third Australian Divisional team in the famous "Pioneer Exhibition Game" of Australian Rules football, held in London, in October 1916. A news film was taken at the match.[6][7]

After returning from the War, he went to Hawthorn in the VFA in 1919 and in 1920 he was appointed captain-coach but stood down midway through the season.[8]