Alex Hamilton (footballer, born 1936)

Alexander William Hamilton (5 April 1936 – 1990) was a Scottish footballer, who played for Dundee and the Scotland national team.

For other people named Alexander Hamilton, see Alexander Hamilton (disambiguation).

Alex Hamilton
Personal information
Full name Alexander William Hamilton
Date of birth (1936-04-05)5 April 1936
Place of birth Armadale, West Lothian, Scotland
Date of death 1990 (aged 53–54)
Place of death Broughty Ferry, Dundee, Scotland
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Position(s) Right back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1957–1966 Dundee 261 (1)
1967–1969 East London Celtic
1970–1972 East London United
National team
1961–1965 Scotland 24 (0)
1961–1965 Scottish League XI 8 (1)
1962–1964[1] SFA trial v SFL 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Hamilton, a right back, was signed for Dundee by manager Willie Thornton and made his league debut in a 7–1 win over Airdrieonians in 1957. He remained with Dundee for ten years, winning the League title in 1961–62 and reaching the Scottish Cup final in 1963–64.[2]

During his time at Dens Park, Hamilton won 24 caps for the Scotland national team. He made his international debut in a 2–1 win over Wales in November 1961. In his 24 appearances for Scotland, Hamilton finished on the winning side on 13 occasions. His final appearance for Scotland was in a 2–1 defeat to Poland in October 1965. He also represented the Scottish League XI.[3]

Hamilton was also a noted singer and was the frontman of a band comprising several of his Dundee teammates, including future Scotland manager Craig Brown. "Hammy and the Hamsters" success was restricted to the local Dundee area however, and they only released one record.[4]

Hamilton left Dundee in 1967 to join Durban United in the South African soccer league. When Durban Spurs merged with Durban United to become Durban Spurs United, Hamilton - together with a number of other players that were surplus to the merged entity's requirements - joined the then newly promoted East London Celtic.

He played with distinction for East London Celtic which later became East London United. Always colourful and controversial, one of his more memorable games was when East London Celtic thrashed Cape Town City 6–3. Towards the end of the game, with Cape Town City players back-pedalling furiously in fear of conceding a seventh goal, Alex Hamilton - with the ball at his feet - decided to show his disdain for the opposition by sitting down on the ball. He later apologised for these actions. East London Celtic, and later as East London United, were something of a bogey side for Cape Town City. In one memorable game at the Border Rugby Union stadium in East London, despite being packed with stars such as George Eastham, Cape Town City lost once again.

Alex Hamilton later managed junior side Dundee Violet before returning to South Africa briefly during which time he managed East London United.

He returned to Dundee in 1988 and was back at Dens Park for a spell running the club's lottery. Hamilton died at his home in Broughty Ferry in 1990 aged 54.[5]

References
  1. Ronnie McDevitt (2016). Scotland in the 60s: The Definitive Account of the Scottish National Football Side During the 1960s. Pitch Publishing. ISBN 9781785312458.
  2. They Wore The Dark Blue For Club and Country – Alex Hamilton Dundee FC, 15 November 2015
  3. "SFL player Alexander William Hamilton". London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  4. Patullo, Alan (8 November 2003). "The unlikely lads who earned status as Dundee's style icons". The Scotsman.
  5. Lamming, Douglas (1987). A Scottish Soccer Internationalists Who's Who, 1872-1986. Hutton Press. ISBN 0-907033-47-4.
  • Alex Hamilton at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database
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