Albert Edward Burns Alexander Sr. (21 Sep 1867 - 14 Oct 1953) was a figure in early 20th century English

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

who held a number of roles at

Manchester City Manchester City Football Club is a professional association football, football club based in Manchester, England, that competes in the Premier League, the English football league system, top flight of Football in England, English footbal ...

Biography

Born in

Hulme Hulme () is an inner city area and electoral ward of Manchester, in Greater Manchester, England, immediately south of Manchester city centre. It has a significant industrial heritage. Historically in Lancashire, the name Hulme is derived from ...

, Alexander was one of four sons involved in the coach proprietorship business. He lived in

Ardwick Ardwick is an area of Manchester, England, southeast of the city centre. The population at the 2011 census was 19,250. Historically in Lancashire, by the mid-nineteenth century Ardwick had grown from being a village into a pleasant and wealt ...

from 1871 to at least the 1920s, having married a storekeeper's daughter, Evelyn Bridge, in St Matthew's there in June 1891. Alexander's connections with Manchester City go back to at least 1904. That year Manchester City reached the

FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual Single-elimination tournament, knockout association football, football competition in domestic Football in England, English football. First played during ...

final for the first time. The club directors hired a horse-drawn carriage to make the journey to London, with Alexander as the driver. By the 1920s, Alexander was the club's vice-chairman, and had also formed and coached the "A" team, the club's first youth development side. In 1925 manager

David Ashworth David George Ashworth (2 June 1867 – 1947) was an English football referee and manager. He became the first manager of Oldham Athletic in 1906, spending eight successful years there before moving on to manage Stockport County in 1914 and ...

resigned. Unable to find a suitable replacement, the directors selected the team by committee. Alexander led the panel with assistance from figures including Lawrence Furniss and

Wilf Wild Wilfred Wild (1893 – 12 December 1950) was a British football manager who served as manager of Manchester City from 1932 to 1946. Early life Wild first joined Manchester City in 1920 as an assistant to Ernest Mangnall, primarily assisting i ...

. Under the Alexander-led committee the club achieved a record 6–1

Manchester derby The Manchester derby refers to association football, football matches between Manchester City F.C., Manchester City and Manchester United F.C., Manchester United, first contested in 1881. City play at the City of Manchester Stadium in Bradford, ...

win, and reached the 1926 FA Cup Final, though City were defeated 1–0 by

Bolton Wanderers Bolton Wanderers Football Club ( ) is a professional association football, football club based in Horwich, Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester, England, which competes in EFL League One, League One, the third level of the Englis ...

. On 26 April 1926,

Peter Hodge Peter Hodge (18 June 1871 – 18 August 1934) was a Scottish football manager who managed Raith Rovers, Stoke City, Manchester City and spent most of his career with Leicester City (over two spells). He gained promotion while in charge of all fo ...

was appointed manager, and Alexander's period in charge came to an end. Alexander's son, Albert Victor, was Manchester City chairman in the 1960s, and through Albert Jr. and his son Eric the Alexander family had a presence on the club board until 1972.

References

English football managers Manchester City F.C. directors and chairmen Manchester City F.C. managers 1867 births 1953 deaths {{England-footy-manager-stub