View source for Alex Parker

{{Short description|Scottish footballer and manager}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Alex Parker
| image = 
| fullname = Alexander Hershaw Parker<ref>{{Hugman|15242|access-date=14 April 2017}}</ref>
| birth_date  = {{Birth date|1935|8|2|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Irvine, North Ayrshire|Irvine]], Scotland
| death_date  = {{death date and age|2010|1|7|1935|8|2|df=y}}<ref name = "liverpool">[http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/everton-fc/everton-fc-news/2010/01/08/everton-legend-of-the-sixties-alex-parker-passes-away-100252-25552059/ Everton legend of the sixties Alex Parker passes away], ''[[Liverpool Echo]]'', 8 January 2010.</ref>
| death_place = [[Gretna, Scotland|Gretna]], Scotland
| height = 
| position = [[Right back]]
| currentclub = 
| youthyears1 = 1950–1952
| youthclubs1 = [[Kello Rovers F.C.|Kello Rovers]]
| years1 = 1952–1958 
| years2 = 1958–1965 
| years3 = 1965–1968 
| years4 = 1968–1969 
| years5 = 1969–1970 
| clubs1 = [[Falkirk F.C.|Falkirk]] 
| clubs2 = [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] 
| clubs3 = [[Southport F.C.|Southport]] 
| clubs4 = [[Ballymena United F.C.|Ballymena United]] 
| clubs5 = [[Drumcondra F.C.|Drumcondra]]
| caps1 = 121  
| caps2 = 198  
| caps3 = 76  
| caps4 = 
| caps5 = 4  
| goals1 = 2  
| goals2 = 5  
| goals3 = 0 
| goals4 = 
| goals5 = 0 
| nationalyears1 = 1955–1958<ref>[http://www.fitbastats.com/scotlandu23/player.php?playerid=12 Scotland U23 player Parker, Alex], FitbaStats</ref>
| nationalteam1 = [[Scotland national under-23 football team|Scotland U23]]
| nationalcaps1 = 6
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 1955<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EEdAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bFkMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4475%2C5200969 Easter Road game should not have been played], ''Glasgow Herald'' (page 4), 22 February 1955</ref>
| nationalteam2 = [[Scotland national B football team|Scotland B vs A trial]]
| nationalcaps2 = 1
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 1955–1958
| nationalteam3 = [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]]
| nationalcaps3 = 15  
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| nationalyears4 = 1955–1958
| nationalteam4 = [[Scottish Football League XI]]
| nationalcaps4 =  9
| nationalgoals4 = 0
| nationalyears5 = 1958–1960<ref>[http://partickthistleahistory.wikifoundry.com/page/1958+-+Scottish+League+v+Scotland+XI Scottish trial match at Easter Road] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809084038/http://partickthistleahistory.wikifoundry.com/page/1958+-+Scottish+League+v+Scotland+XI |date=9 August 2014 }}, ''Glasgow Herald'', 4 February 1958</ref><ref>[http://partickthistleahistory.wikifoundry.com/page/1959+-+Scottish+League+v+Scotland+XI The selectors still have problems] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314063032/http://partickthistleahistory.wikifoundry.com/page/1959+-+Scottish+League+v+Scotland+XI |date=14 March 2016 }}, ''The Bulletin'', 17 March 1959</ref><ref name=scot60s>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lITgDAAAQBAJ&q=%22scotland+XI%22+v+%22scottish+league%22&pg=PT215|title=Scotland in the 60s: The Definitive Account of the Scottish National Football Side During the 1960s|author=Ronnie McDevitt|year=2016|publisher=Pitch Publishing|isbn=9781785312458}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
| nationalteam5 = [[List of Scottish Football League representative players#Scotland trial matches / SFL Centenary players|SFA trial v SFL]]
| nationalcaps5 = 3
| nationalgoals5 = 0
| manageryears1 = 1968–1969
| manageryears2 = 1970–1971
| managerclubs1 = [[Ballymena United F.C.|Ballymena United]]
| managerclubs2 = [[Southport F.C.|Southport]]
}}
'''Alexander Hershaw Parker''' (2 August 1935 – 7 January 2010) was a Scottish [[association football|football]] player and manager.  Parker played for [[Falkirk F.C.|Falkirk]], [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] and [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]], amongst others. Parker was named in Falkirk's ''Team of the Millennium'' and Everton's Hall of Fame.<ref name = "scotsman"/>

==Playing career==
===Falkirk===
Parker, a fullback, began his career with [[Kello Rovers F.C.|Kello Rovers]], turning semi-professional when he joined [[Falkirk F.C.|Falkirk]] in 1952. The highlight of Parker's time with the ''Bairns'' was their [[1956–57 Scottish Cup|1957 Scottish Cup]] victory, as they defeated [[Kilmarnock F.C.|Kilmarnock]] in a replayed final.<ref name = "liverpool"/>

===Everton===
Parker moved to [[Merseyside]] in June<ref name="ind">[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/alex-parker-scottish-international-full-back-revered-at-falkirk-and-everton-1876439.html "Alex Parker: Scottish international full-back revered at Falkirk and Everton" ''The Independent'' 23 January 2010]</ref> 1958<ref name="efc">{{Cite web |url=http://www.evertonfc.com/players/a/ap/alex-parker |title="Alex Parker" evertonfc.com |access-date=1 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180701030538/http://www.evertonfc.com/players/a/ap/alex-parker |archive-date=1 July 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> when Everton paid £18,000 in a double signing of Parker and [[Eddie O'Hara (footballer, born 1935)|Eddie O'Hara]] both from Falkirk.<ref name = "falher">[http://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/sport/football/falkirk-fc/bairns-mourn-passing-of-another-1957-falkirk-cup-hero-1-4259905 "Bairns mourn passing of another 1957 Falkirk cup hero" ''The Falkirk Herald'' 16 October 2016]</ref> Parker's ''Toffees'' debut was delayed by his requirement to fulfil National Service in [[Cyprus]].<ref name = "liverpool"/> He eventually became a stalwart in the side which won the [[1962–63 in English football|1962–63]] [[List of English football champions|league championship]], finishing six points ahead of runners-up [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham]].<ref name = "liverpool"/>

After this triumph, however, hamstring injuries started to trouble Parker,<ref name = "scotsman"/> and he left [[Goodison Park]] in 1965.

===Southport===

He joined [[Southport F.C.|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 F.C.|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 (sport)|cap]] for [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]] against [[Portugal national football team|Portugal]] in 1955 while playing for Falkirk.<ref name = "liverpool"/> He was selected in the squad for the [[1958 FIFA World Cup]], making one appearance against [[Paraguay national football team|Paraguay]].<ref name = "liverpool"/> This also transpired to be his final national team cap, which some regarded as "perverse"; former teammate [[Alex Young (footballer, born 1937)|Alex Young]] stated that Parker was still the best player in his position in Britain.<ref name = "scotsman">[http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Passing--of-Parker-marks.5968858.jp Passing of Parker marks loss of Falkirk's finest from golden era], ''[[The Scotsman]]'', 9 January 2010.</ref> Parker also represented the [[Scottish Football League XI]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.londonhearts.com/SFL/players/alexanderhershawparker.html|title=SFL player Alexander Hershaw Parker|website=London Hearts Supporters' Club|access-date=27 November 2011}}</ref>

==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 [[public house|publican]] in [[Runcorn]]. He then lived in [[Gretna, Scotland|Gretna]], Dumfriesshire.

Parker died of a heart attack on 7 January 2010.<ref name = "liverpool"/>

==Career statistics==
===International appearances===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan=3 | [[Scotland national football team|Scotland national team]]<ref>{{SFA Profile|id=113324}}</ref>
|-
!Year!!Apps!!Goals
|-
| 1955 || 5 || 0
|-
| 1956 || 5 || 0
|-
| 1957 || 3 || 0
|-
| 1958 || 2 || 0
|-
!Total || 15 || 0
|}

==Honours==
;Falkirk
* [[Scottish Cup]]: [[1956–57 Scottish Cup|1956–57]]

;Everton
*[[Football League First Division|First Division]]: [[1962–63 Football League|1962–63]]
*[[FA Charity Shield]]: [[1963 FA Charity Shield|1963]]<ref>{{cite web|title=1963/64 Charity Shield |url=http://www.footballsite.co.uk/Statistics/CommunityShield/1963-64CharityShield.htm|publisher=footballsite.co.uk|access-date=12 April 2020}}</ref>

; Southport
*[[Football League Fourth Division|Fourth Division]]: promotion [[1966–67 Football League|1966–67]]<ref>{{cite web | title=Alex Parker 1935 – 2010 | url=https://www.southportfootballclub.co.uk/alex-parker-1935-2010/ | publisher=Southport FC | date=8 January 2010 | access-date=12 May 2021}}</ref>

; Scotland
*[[British Home Championship]]: [[1955–56 British Home Championship|1955–56]] (shared)<ref>{{cite web | title=Alex Parker | url=https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/players/?pid=113324&lid=1 | publisher=[[Scottish Football Association]] | access-date=12 May 2021}}</ref>

; Individual
*[[Rex Kingsley Footballer of the Year]]: 1957<ref name = "herald">{{cite web | title=He was quite simply a class act' – Alex Parker of Falkirk FC and Scotland | url=https://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/sport/nostalgia/he-was-quite-simply-class-act-alex-parker-falkirk-fc-and-scotland-2940252?amp | work=[[Falkirk Herald]] | date=13 August 2020 | access-date=12 May 2021}}<br>{{cite web | title=Alex Parker; Scottish international footballer | url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/default_content/12603319.alex-parker-scottish-international-footballer/ | work=[[Herald Scotland]] | date=12 January 2010 | access-date=12 May 2021}}</ref>
*[[Falkirk F.C.|Falkirk FC]] Hall of Fame<ref name = "herald"/>
*[[Gwladys Street's Hall of Fame]]<ref name = "herald"/>
*[[Falkirk F.C.|Falkirk FC]] Millennium XI<ref name = "herald"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{NeilBrownPlayers|player/alexparker}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20131224111920/http://www.evertonfc.com/history/everton-legends-n-s.html Brief Biography] at legends section of official [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] site

{{Scotland Squad 1958 World Cup}}
{{Ballymena United F.C. managers}}
{{Southport F.C. managers}}
{{Falkirk F.C. Hall of Fame}}
{{Gwladys Street's Hall of Fame}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Parker, Alex}}
[[Category:1935 births]]
[[Category:2010 deaths]]
[[Category:Footballers from Irvine, North Ayrshire]]
[[Category:Scottish men's footballers]]
[[Category:Scotland men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Kello Rovers F.C. players]]
[[Category:Falkirk F.C. players]]
[[Category:Everton F.C. players]]
[[Category:Southport F.C. players]]
[[Category:1958 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:Scottish Football League players]]
[[Category:English Football League players]]
[[Category:NIFL Premiership players]]
[[Category:Scottish football managers]]
[[Category:Southport F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Scottish Junior Football Association players]]
[[Category:Scottish Football League representative players]]
[[Category:Scotland men's under-23 international footballers]]
[[Category:Ballymena United F.C. players]]
[[Category:Drumcondra F.C. players]]
[[Category:League of Ireland players]]
[[Category:Ballymena United F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Men's association football fullbacks]]
[[Category:Publicans]]
[[Category:20th-century Scottish sportsmen]]
[[Category:NIFL Premiership managers]]
[[Category:Men's association football player-managers]]