A member of the iconic Pars team that lifted the Scottish Cup for the second time in the club’s history, in 1968, he passed away last month at the age of 78.
It has been announced that a service marking his life will be held at Cairneyhill Parish Church on Tuesday January 14 at 10am, with the cortege passing East End Park at 11.10am for those wishing to pay their respects, followed by a committal at Dunfermline Crematorium.
Alex, who went on to star for Hibernian before finishing his playing career at Arbroath, dazzled during Athletic’s halcyon days of the 1960s.
Alex was part of the Pars team that lifted the 1968 Scottish Cup. (Image: Dunfermline Athletic FC.) Signed by Jock Stein, who led the club to their maiden Scottish Cup triumph in 1961, he was famously given his debut just five days after his 16th birthday, in 1962.
Alongside fellow teenager, Jackie Sinclair, Alex starred in an astonishing 6-2 win over Spanish giants Valencia in a European tie at East End Park, and went on to score 56 goals in 348 appearances for the Pars.
In 1971, he left Dunfermline to join Hibernian and, in 215 appearances for the Easter Road side, helped them win the 1972 League Cup, and wrote his name into club folklore by playing his part in a 7-0 New Year’s Day thrashing of capital rivals Hearts at Tynecastle in 1973.
READ MORE: Jags result made sleepless nights worthwhile for Pars caretaker boss
A member of the Dunfermline Athletic Former Players Association, Alex was inducted into the Pars Hall of Fame in 2005 and, last year, was afforded the same honour by the Hibees.
Last March, he joined some Pars icons to mark the unveiling of a mural celebrating the greatest players to pull on the back and white jersey.
Roy Barry (left, pictured with Alex and John Watson) felt that his former team-mate should have played for Scotland. (Image: Craig Brown.) Alex, known by many of his former team-mates as ‘Mickey’, is widely regarded by many as the best of them all and Roy Barry, who captained the 1968 cup winning side, paid tribute by telling the Press that he should’ve been capped by Scotland.
“We are absolutely complete opposites in terms of football. He played up the front with all that skill, and I played away at the back, with minimum skill, and an understanding what was required, as easy as possible. Win it and give it,” he said.
“Mickey couldn’t play the game like that. Mickey had to get it and dribble, take people on. He had the skill to do it, I didn’t have the skill to do it, so I just won it and gave it. End of for me.
“It’s funny that we both gelled as individuals, sharing a room and things like that.
“We were both at the other end of the spectrum if you like. He was up front with all the skill and everything, and I was at the back just being basic, but we got on as people.”
Supporters were able to pay tribute to Alex at Dunfermline’s last home match, against Falkirk, where a minute’s applause was held in his honour.