Pope: Alfred Leslie (Alfie)

WW2 Guest: 1945-1946 (Leeds United War-time Guest Player Details)

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Born: Lofthouse, West Yorkshire: 08-01-1913

Debut: v Blackpool (h): 12-01-1946

Height & Weight: Unknown

Pope started with Harrogate AFC and was on the books of Leeds United from 1931-32 for three seasons. After a trial with Rotherham United he signed for First Division Leeds United in 1934 but never played a senior game. He moved to Third Division North Halifax Town in 1935. On 3rd February 1937 he signed for Scottish First Division team Heart of Midlothian. The transfer fee was not disclosed, but was not a very large one, and the Town management had the option of a Hearts player. The change in defence which the transfer made necessary saw the first defensive break of the season, for Owen, Allsopp and Pope have appeared in every League game. After joining Halifax Town from Leeds, Pope never missed a game with the first team. In his two seasons at the Shay he played fifty-four League games and three F.A. Cup ties before the move. He made his Hearts debut at Centre Forward in a 1-5 defeat at Hamilton Academical on 20th March 1937. He scored is only goal for Hearts three days later in a 1-2 loss to Clyde at Shawfield, when he again played Centre Forward. He played his final game at Left Back at Queen of the South in a 3-2 win on 26th March 1938. He scored once in twelve Scottish League games and played one Scottish Cup game without scoring. At the outbreak of the Second World War he was posted to Blackpool with the RAF and subsequently played as a guest player in Blackpool's wartime sides. He had played four times for Hearts in the 1939-40 season and returned to play three times in 1942-43 and once in 1945-46. He had also scored twice in four appearances for Halifax Town in the 1940-41 season before he became a regular at Bloomfield Road. In the War-time League games for the Seasiders, he scored once in eighteen in 1940-41, once in thirty-seven in 1941-42, but none in thirty in 1942-43, thirty-seven in 1943-44 and twenty-five in 1944-45, a season in which he also made one appearance for Birmingham City. Blackpool were one of the most successful teams in War-time football and he also played in both Legs of the League North Cup Final of 1942-43 at Bloomfield Road in front of 28,000 on 1st May 1943 and in a 2-2 draw with Sheffield Wednesday and at Hillsborough seven days later in front of 42,657 when Blackpool won 2-1 to take the trophy. Pope was with Heart of Midlothian at the time and Leeds Players Reg Savage, then of Queen of the South, and Eddie Burbanks, then of Sunderland, all played in both legs. The three were also on duty one week later when Blackpool beat Arsenal 4-2 in front of 55,195 at Stamford Bridge in the Cup Winners Play-off against the London winners. The following year Savage and Pope were both back in the League North Cup Final, winning the first leg in front of 28,000 at Bloomfield Road on 29th April 1944, but then went down 2-4 at Villa Park on 6th May 1944 with 54,824 in attendance as Aston Villa advanced to the Play-off Final. He guested with Leeds United in the 1945-46 Football League Northern Section, playing just one game at Left Back in a 1-2 loss to Blackpool at Elland Road on 12th January 1946. However, Blackpool records tell a different story. "He was home on leave from Germany on 19th January 1946 and he went to Bloomfield Road to watch the Blackpool versus Leeds United game. He was settling down in his seat when there was a call over the tannoy for him to report to the Blackpool dressing room. He went and saw manager Joe Smith and asked, "Do you want me to play?" Joe Smith replied, "No, but Leeds United do!" He had to borrow a pair of boots and as they were too big for him he wore three pairs of socks to keep them tight. He played out of position and although Leeds lost 4-2 he "played a good game"." He did not play in the Football League after the Second World War and finished his career in Non-League football with Lancshire League side Darwen. He died in Blackpool in August 1987.