Stacey: Alexander (Alex)

1927-1933 & WW2 Guest: 1940-1941 (Player Details) (Leeds United War-time Guest Player Details)

Right Half

Born: London: 1908

Debut v Oldham Athletic (a): 10-03-1928

5’8” 10st 12lb (1930)

Although London born he had moved north and was a product of Grove House Lads Club in Manchester, he played for New Mills before going to Northwich Victoria. Stacey was secured by Dick Ray, the Leeds United manager, from Northwich Victoria, a Manchester district club, in the Cheshire County League, in October 1927, and had the misfortune at Elland Road to be understudy to such a brilliant player as Willis Edwards. Naturally, he had few opportunities of gaining first-class experience. He was merely regarded as a useful, reliable player until the 1932-33 season, when his big chance came due to Edwards suffering from cartilage trouble, and having to undergo an operation. Stacey rose finely to the occasion, and, coming into the team after the first match of the season, played in nineteen games up to the end of the year. He proved himself a finer half back than ever anyone had expected, and often revealed talent of a high order both in attack and defence. Always a sturdily-built player, he put on a good deal of weight during the off season, building to thirteen stone, but at the beginning of the 1933-34 season, when Edwards was not in very good health, Stacey for a couple of months played better than ever, so that he could not be dropped, even though Edwards was fit again. He had two or three indifferent matches, however, and gave way to Edwards for the game with Liverpool at Anfield on 11th November 1933, having played the first twelve games of the season. It did not take long for Sheffield United, who had just signed Charlie Wilkinson, another Leeds United Reserve player of note, to strengthen their defence, to move in to also secure Stacey's signature in mid-November 1933. Understudying Edwards had always been a thankless task and because of his loyalty, he was rewarded by the club when he was one of the seven Leeds United players who had recently received cheques in lieu of a benefit after being the backbone of United’s Central League side for over six years but after having his two most productive seasons in the first team. In those seasons he has shown many clever touches in his play, with his outstanding qualities being the thrusting support he gave to the attack, which he followed up strongly, and his unflagging energy and shrewd covering in defence. Had his opportunity come earlier in his career, he might have become a player of considerable note, and these were the reasons that Sheffield United thought he was the man they needed. Unfortunately for Stacey and the Blades a broken leg the following April effectively ended his playing career. His last senior game for the Blades was in January 1937 and he was not retained at the end of that season. He played sixty-four League games and scored three goals whilst at Bramall Lane, before dropping into Non-League football with Kidderminster Harriers. He did come back to Elland Road and played one game at Right Half as a war-time guest in the 1940-41 North Regional League in a 5-2 win against Huddersfield Town at Elland Road on 14th September 1940. He died in Leeds in September 1993.