Alex Elder

Alexander Russell Elder (born 25 April 1941) is a Northern Irish former footballer who played for Burnley and Stoke City as well as the Northern Ireland national team.

He was said to play a mature game for someone with little experience of top-class football. Although not quick on the turn, he timed his tackles well and made good use of the ball.

Career

Burnley Elder was the very last piece in Harry Potts Championship jigsaw, signing aged 17 in January 1959 for £5,000 from Irish League club Glentoran. He spent the remainder of the 1958–59 season in the Burnley reserves, remaining there when the 1959–60 season began. By the eighth game of that season he made his first team debut against Preston and the great Tom Finney. Despite a 1–0 defeat Elder played well enough to retain his place and played in all but one of the remaining games that season. Elder played in Burnley's European Cup campaign the following season and then in the FA Cup Final Wembley side of 1962. He forged a formidable full back partnership with John Angus

Stoke City Elder made an unfortunate start to his Stoke career as in pre-season training for 1967–68 it took him until the end of October to make his debut and failed to reach the heights he set at Turf Moor and is considered to be one of Tony Waddington's worst signings.

Career statistics Club Source:

International Source:

Honours Burnley Football League First Division: 1959–60 FA Cup runner-up: 1961–62