View source for Alex Smith (footballer, born 1939)

{{short description|Scottish footballer and manager}}
{{Other people|Alex Smith}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox football biography
| image       = 
| caption     = 
| name        = Alex Smith<br /><small>{{nobold|{{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}}}}</small>
| fullname    = 
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|df=y|1939|12|25}}
| birth_place = [[Cowie, Stirling|Cowie]], Scotland 
| position    = [[Inside forward]]
| youthyears1 = 
| youthclubs1 = Gowanhill United
| years1 = 1958–1959 
| years2 = 1959–1962 
| years3 = 1962–1965 
| years4 = 1965–1966 
| years5 = 1966–1968 
| years6 = 1968–1970
| clubs1 = [[Kilmarnock F.C.|Kilmarnock]] 
| clubs2 = [[Stenhousemuir F.C.|Stenhousemuir]] 
| clubs3 = [[Stirling Albion F.C.|Stirling Albion]] 
| clubs4 = [[East Stirlingshire F.C.|East Stirlingshire]] 
| clubs5 = [[Albion Rovers F.C.|Albion Rovers]] 
| clubs6 = [[Stenhousemuir F.C.|Stenhousemuir]]
| caps1 = 0   
| caps2 = 39   
| caps3 = 51  
| caps4 = 12   
| caps5 = 23   
| caps6 = 23   
| goals1 = 0  
| goals2 = 9  
| goals3 = 11  
| goals4 = 4  
| goals5 = 0  
| goals6 = 0 
| totalcaps = 148
| totalgoals = 24
| manageryears1 = 1968–1974 
| manageryears2 = 1974–1986 
| manageryears3 = 
| manageryears4 = 1986–1988 
| manageryears5 = 1988–1992 
| manageryears6 = 1992–1996
| manageryears7 = 1998–2002 
| manageryears8 = 2000–2002 
| manageryears9 = 2002–2005
| manageryears10 = 2013
| manageryears11 = 2017
| managerclubs1 = [[Stenhousemuir F.C.|Stenhousemuir]] 
| managerclubs2 = [[Stirling Albion F.C.|Stirling Albion]] 
| managerclubs3 = [[Scotland national under-18 football team|Scotland U18]] 
| managerclubs4 = [[St Mirren F.C.|St Mirren]] 
| managerclubs5 = [[Aberdeen F.C.|Aberdeen]] 
| managerclubs6 = [[Clyde F.C.|Clyde]] 
| managerclubs7 = [[Scotland national under-21 football team|Scotland U21]] 
| managerclubs8 = [[Dundee United F.C.|Dundee United]] 
| managerclubs9 = [[Ross County F.C.|Ross County]]
| managerclubs10 = [[Falkirk F.C.|Falkirk]] (interim)
| managerclubs11 = [[Falkirk F.C.|Falkirk]] (interim)
}}
'''Alex Smith''' [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]] (born 25 December 1939) is a Scottish former [[association football|football]] player and [[manager (association football)|manager]]. His major achievements over close to five decades as a manager include winning the [[Scottish Cup]] in 1987 with [[St Mirren F.C.|St Mirren]] and 1990 with [[Aberdeen F.C.|Aberdeen]], where he also won the [[Scottish League Cup]] in 1989. He had a role in the development of many prominent players,<ref name=memories/> and the 2005 book on [[Scottish football]], ''The Final Whistle?'' was described as "the nearest thing the Scottish game has to a father figure".

==Biography==
Smith was born in [[Cowie, Stirling|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 F.C.|Kilmarnock]], [[Stenhousemuir F.C.|Stenhousemuir]], [[Stirling Albion F.C.|Stirling Albion]] and [[Albion Rovers F.C.|Albion Rovers]].

His managerial career began in 1968 with [[Stenhousemuir F.C.|Stenhousemuir]].<ref name = "oldest">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41448941 |title=Falkirk interim boss Alex Smith to be oldest manager in Europe this weekend |first=Brian |last=McLauchlin |work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |date=29 September 2017 |access-date=1 October 2017}}</ref> In 1974, he became manager of [[Stirling Albion F.C.|Stirling Albion]] and would manage the club for 12 years, winning the Second Division championship in [[1976–77 in Scottish football|1977]].<ref name=memories/> Stirling Albion remained in the second tier for four seasons, and were relegated in [[1980–81 in Scottish football|1981]] after failing to score a league goal for three months;<ref name="Albion 1981">{{cite web | url=http://www.londonhearts.com/scores/a1980/stirlingalbion1981.htm | title=Results for Stirling Albion for 1980-81 | publisher=London Hearts|  access-date=15 May 2018}}</ref> Smith nonetheless remained at the club until 1986 when he moved to [[St Mirren F.C.|St Mirren]], with whom he won the [[Scottish Cup]] in [[1987 Scottish Cup Final|1987]], overcoming that season's [[UEFA Cup]] finalists [[Dundee United F.C.|Dundee United]] with a young, all-Scottish team in a surprise result which endured as one of the [[Paisley, Renfrewshire|Paisley]] club's most treasured achievements.<ref>[https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/alex-smith-reflects-st-mirrens-10428405.amp Alex Smith reflects on St Mirren's 1987 Scottish Cup triumph 30 years on], Craig Ritchie, Daily Record, 16 May 2017</ref><ref name=story/>

Smith and co-manager [[Jocky Scott]] succeeded [[Ian Porterfield]] at [[Aberdeen F.C.|Aberdeen]] in 1988. For the next three seasons the ''Dons'' were the main rivals to [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]], finishing runners-up in each of those seasons.<ref name=afcht/> New players were brought in, several from Dutch football including [[Theo Snelders]] and [[Hans Gillhaus]], along with youth prospects such as [[Eoin Jess]] and [[Stephen Wright (Scottish footballer)|Stephen Wright]].<ref name=story/> In [[1989–90 in Scottish football|1989–90]] Aberdeen won the [[Double (association football)|double]] of the [[Scottish League Cup|League Cup]] (beating Rangers after losing to them the previous year) and Scottish Cup (in a penalty shootout against [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]]),<ref name=story/> and in [[1990–91 Scottish Premier Division|1990–91]] went into their final game at [[Ibrox Stadium|Ibrox]] needing only a draw to win the [[Scottish Premier Division]] championship on goals scored; a 2–0 defeat courtesy of a [[Mark Hateley]] brace sealed a third straight title for Rangers.<ref name=afcht/> Aberdeen began the next season well, including a win at Ibrox, but early exits from the League Cup and UEFA Cup followed; Scott left in September 1991 to take over at [[Dunfermline Athletic F.C.|Dunfermline Athletic]], and a further slump in form resulted in Smith's dismissal in February 1992.<ref name=afcht/><ref name=story/><ref>[https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/past-times/3523599/aberdeen-alex-smith/ 'Fan power was on the rampage': How Alex Smith paid the price for Aberdeen's troubled 1991-92 season], Neil Drysdale, Press & Journal, 11 October 2021</ref>

Smith would later manage [[Clyde F.C.|Clyde]], [[Dundee United F.C.|Dundee United]] and [[Ross County F.C.|Ross County]]. He later worked as technical director at [[Falkirk F.C.|Falkirk]]. In June 2009 he was appointed assistant to the then head coach [[Eddie May (Scottish footballer)|Eddie May]].<ref>http://www.falkirkfc.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4281&Itemid=1 Falkirk FC | New Coaching Team</ref> In March 2013 he was appointed interim manager at the club following the departure of [[Steven Pressley]].<ref name="smith">{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21718018 | title=Falkirk: Alex Smith interim boss after Steven Pressley exit | publisher=BBC | work=BBC Sport | date=8 March 2013 | access-date=8 March 2013}}</ref> He was again placed in interim charge in September 2017, after [[Peter Houston]] left.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/sport/football/falkirk-fc/breaking-peter-houston-no-longer-falkirk-manager-1-4568772 |first=David |last=Oliver |work=Falkirk Herald |date=24 September 2017 |access-date=24 September 2017 |title=BREAKING: Peter Houston no longer Falkirk manager}}</ref> Smith was 77 years old, which made him the oldest manager of a professional football club in Europe at the time.<ref name = "oldest"/>

Smith was involved with [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]] at a number of levels, managing the [[Scotland national under-19 football team|U18]] and [[Scotland national under-21 football team|U21]] sides. He also took charge of the [[Scotland national B football team|Scotland B]] squad in January 2007, alongside [[Bobby Williamson]].<ref name="B">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/6313333.stm|title=Gow & McGregor given Scots chance|publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |date=30 January 2007}}</ref>

He retired from football at the end of the 2017–18 season to emigrate to Australia with his wife.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43571379 |title=Alex Smith: Falkirk technical director to retire from football |work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |date=28 March 2018 |access-date=30 April 2018}}</ref><ref name=memories>[https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/alex-smith-says-its-been-12440380.amp Alex Smith says 'it's all been worth it for the memories' as football legend prepares to retire], [[Gordon Parks (footballer)|Gordon Parks]], Daily Record, 28 April 2018</ref><ref name=story>[https://www.afc.co.uk/2018/06/14/redmatchday-interview-the-alex-smith-story/ RedMatchday Interview {{!}} The Alex Smith Story], Malcolm Panton, Aberdeen FC, 14 June 2018</ref>

Smith was appointed [[Member of the Order of the British Empire]] (MBE) in the [[2005 Birthday Honours]] for services to sport in Scotland.<ref>{{cite web |title=2005 Birthday Honours |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/57665/supplement/21 |website=[[The London Gazette]] |access-date=12 January 2023}}</ref>

==Managerial statistics==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!rowspan="2"|Team
!rowspan="2"|From
!rowspan="2"|To
!colspan="5"|Record
|-
!P!!W!!L!!D!!Win %
|-
|align=left|[[Stenhousemuir F.C.|Stenhousemuir]]<ref>[https://www.fitbastats.com/stenhousemuir/manager.php?id=1302 (Stenhousemuir manager) Smith, Alec], FitbaStats</ref>
|align=left|1 August 1968
|align=left|1 September 1974
{{WDL|218|68|42|108}}
|-
|align=left|[[Stirling Albion F.C.|Stirling]]<ref>[https://www.fitbastats.com/stirlingalbion/manager.php?id=937 (Stirling Albion manager) Smith, Alex], FitbaStats</ref>
|align=left|1 September 1974
|align=left|16 December 1986
{{WDL|552|203|155|194}}
|-
|align=left|[[St Mirren F.C.|St Mirren]]<ref>[https://www.fitbastats.com/stmirren/manager.php?id=55 (St Mirren manager) Smith, Alex], FitbaStats</ref>
|align=left|17 December 1986
|align=left|31 May 1988
{{WDL|72|20|20|32}}
|-
|align=left|[[Aberdeen F.C.|Aberdeen]]<ref name=afcht>[http://www.afcheritage.org/Team/Manager/index.cfm?manager_id=14 Managers {{!}} Alex Smith], AFC Heritage Trust</ref> 
|align=left|1 August 1988
|align=left|10 February 1992
{{WDL|178|91|39|48}} 
|-
|align=left|[[Clyde F.C.|Clyde]]<ref>[https://www.fitbastats.com/clyde/manager.php?id=807 (Clyde manager) Smirh, Alex] [sic], FitbaStats</ref>
|align=left|1 August 1992
|align=left|September 1996
{{WDL|186|65|49|72}}
|-
|align=left|[[Scotland national under-21 football team|Scotland U21]]<ref>[https://www.fitbastats.com/scotlandu21/manager.php?id=4 (Scotland U21 manager) Smith, Alex], FitbaStats</ref>
|align=left|October 1998
|align=left|14 March 2002
{{WDL|23|8|5|10}}
|-
|align=left|[[Dundee United F.C.|Dundee United]]
|align=left|8 August 2000
|align=left|7 October 2002
{{WDL|99|31|45|23}} 
|-
|align=left|[[Ross County F.C.|Ross County]]
|align=left|27 November 2002
|align=left|11 June 2005
{{WDL|112|39|45|28}}
|-
|align=left|[[Falkirk F.C.|Falkirk]] (interim)
|align=left|8 March 2013
|align=left|3 April 2013
{{WDL|5|3|2|0}} 
|-
|align=left|Falkirk (interim)
|align=left|24 September 2017
|align=left|7 October 2017
{{WDL|2|2|0|0}}
|-
!colspan=3|Total
{{WDLtot|1447|530|402|515}}
|}

==Honours==
===Player===
'''Stirling Albion'''
* [[List of winners of the Scottish Championship and predecessors|Scottish Division Two]]: [[1964–65 Scottish Division Two|1964–65]]

===Manager===
'''Stenhousemuir'''
* [[Stirlingshire Cup]]: 1970–71

'''Stirling Albion'''
* [[Scottish Football League Second Division|Scottish Second Division]]: [[1976–77 Scottish Second Division|1976–77]]
* [[Stirlingshire Cup]]: 1976–77, 1977–78, 1983–84

'''St Mirren'''
* [[Scottish Cup]]: [[1986–87 Scottish Cup|1986–87]]

'''Aberdeen'''
(co-manager with [[Jocky Scott]])
* [[Scottish Cup]]: [[1989–90 Scottish Cup|1989–90]]
* [[Scottish League Cup]]: [[1989–90 Scottish League Cup|1989–90]]
**Runners-up: [[1988–89 Scottish League Cup|1988–89]]
* [[Aberdeenshire Cup]]: 1989–90,1990–91

'''Clyde'''
* [[Scottish Football League Second Division|Scottish Second Division]]: [[1992–93 Scottish Second Division|1992–93]]

'''Springfield United'''
* [[Australia - FQPL5 Metro Premiership]]: 2022
* [[Australia - FQPL5 Metro Grand Final]]: 2022
* [[Australia - SUFC Cup]]: 2021, 2022

'''Individual'''
* [[Scottish Premier League monthly awards|SPL Manager of the Month]]: March 2001, May 2001, January 2002<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.myfootballfacts.com/world-football/scottish-football/spl_manager_and_player_of_the_month_awards/|title=Scottish Premier League / Scottish Professional Football League Manager and Player of the Month Award 2000-01 to 2018-19
|website=My Football Facts|access-date=20 December 2019}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
* Reid, Harry (2005), ''The Final Whistle?'', Birlinn, {{ISBN|1-84158-362-6}}
* Grant, Michael and Robertson, Rob (2010), ''The Management'', Birlinn, {{ISBN|978-1-84158-819-3}}

{{ navboxes
|title= Alex Smith managerial positions
|list1=
{{Stenhousemuir F.C. managers}}
{{Stirling Albion F.C. managers}}
{{St Mirren F.C. managers}}
{{Aberdeen F.C. managers}}
{{Clyde F.C. managers}}
{{Scotland national under-21 football team managers}}
{{Dundee United F.C. managers}}
{{Ross County F.C. managers}}
{{Falkirk F.C. managers}}
}}
{{Scottish Football Hall of Fame}}
{{Scottish Cup winning managers}}
{{Scottish League Cup winning managers}}

{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Alex}}
[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Footballers from Stirling]]
[[Category:Scottish football managers]]
[[Category:Scottish men's footballers]]
[[Category:St Mirren F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Aberdeen F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Dundee United F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Clyde F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Stirling Albion F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Stenhousemuir F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Ross County F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Kilmarnock F.C. players]]
[[Category:Stenhousemuir F.C. players]]
[[Category:Stirling Albion F.C. players]]
[[Category:East Stirlingshire F.C. players]]
[[Category:Albion Rovers F.C. players]]
[[Category:Scottish Premier League managers]]
[[Category:Scottish Football League managers]]
[[Category:Men's association football inside forwards]]
[[Category:Falkirk F.C. non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Scottish Football League players]]
[[Category:Scotland national under-21 football team managers]]
[[Category:Scottish Football Hall of Fame inductees]]