Alex Stevenson

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Alex Stevenson
Personal information
Full name Alexander Ernest Stevenson
Date of birth (1912-08-09)9 August 1912
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Date of death 2 September 1985(1985-09-02) (aged 73)[1]
Height 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Position(s) Inside-left
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
–1932
Dolphin
1932–1934 Rangers 12 (7)
1934–1949 Everton 255 (82)
→ Tranmere Rovers (guest)
→ Blackpool (guest)
1949–1950 Bootle Athletic
International career
1931 Irish Free State juniors
1932–1948 Irish Free State
→
Ireland (FAI)
 7 (0)
1933–1947 Ireland (IFA) 19 (5)
1935 Ireland/Wales XI 1 (0)
Managerial career
1953–1954 Republic of Ireland
1954–1958 St Patrick's Athletic
1958–1960
Waterford United
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Alexander Ernest Stevenson (9 August 1912 – 2 September 1985) was an Irish

FAI XI and the IFA XI. Stevenson is one of only two footballers to have played for both the senior FAI XI and Glasgow Rangers and is one of only five players born in what is now the Republic of Ireland to play for the club, the others being Alex Craig, James Lowry McAuley, Jon Daly, and Ciara Grant
.

Club career

Early years

Stevenson began his career with

Division One title during the 1933–34
season.

Everton

In January 1934 Stevenson signed for

Second World War
. During this campaign he scored 10 goals in 36 games.

During the war, while continuing to play for Everton, Stevenson also enlisted in the

English League appearances and scored 82 league goals. He also played a further 16 games and scored a further 8 goals in the FA Cup
. He made his final league appearance for Everton on 7 May 1949.

Irish international

When Stevenson began his international career in 1932 there were, in effect, two Ireland teams, chosen by two rival associations. Both associations, the Belfast-based IFA and the Dublin-based FAI claimed jurisdiction over the whole of Ireland and selected players from the whole island. As a result, several notable Irish players from this era, including Stevenson, played for both teams.

FAI XI

Between 1932 and 1948 Stevenson made 7 appearances for the FAI XI, making his international debut on 8 May 1932 in a 2–0 win against the

FAI XI on 30 September 1946 in a 1–0 defeat to England
.

Puzzled by the fourteen-year gap between his first and second FAI cap, Stevenson apparently approached both the

Protestant, was accused in some quarters of refusing to play for the FAI XI on religious grounds, but he was adamant that religion had nothing to do with it on his part.[2] He subsequently played for the FAI XI a further five times, helping them to a notable victory against Spain on 2 March 1947. He made his last appearance for the FAI XI on 5 December 1948 in a 1–0 defeat against Switzerland. However this was not his last involvement with the FAI. Between 1953 and 1955 Stevenson served as coach of the Republic of Ireland
.

IFA XI

Between

1947 Stevenson also made 19 appearances and scored 5 goals for the IFA XI, making his debut on 16 September 1933 in a 2–1 away win against Scotland, with the press praising his contribution.[3] He subsequently formed a notable inside forward partnership with Peter Doherty. He scored his first goal for the IFA XI on 6 February 1935 in 2–1 defeat against England. He also scored against England in a 5–1 defeat on 23 October 1937. His remaining three goals were all scored against Wales
in 1936, 1937 and 1947.

On 11 May 1935, at

Victory international against Scotland at Windsor Park
on 2 February 1946.

On 27 November,

1947 British Home Championship
. Later that year, Stevenson made his last appearance for the IFA XI on 4 October 1947 in a 2–0 win against Scotland.

Honours

As a player

Dolphins

Rangers

Everton

Ireland

  • 1946–47

As a manager

References

  1. ^ Liverpool Echo – 3 September 1985 – Ken Rogers
  2. ISBN 1-85158-939-2
    .
  3. ^ Disappointing Scots | Half-Backs and Wing Men Weak, The Glasgow Herald, 18 September 1933

Sources

  • Who's Who of Everton (2004): Tony Matthews [1]
  • The Boys in Green – The FAI International Story (1997): Sean Ryan [2]
  • Soccer at War – 1939 – 45 (2005): Jack Rollin [3]

External links

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