Alex Harley

Who was Alex Harley?

Alexander "Alex" Harley was a Scottish professional footballer born in Glasgow who played for Third Lanark, Manchester City and Birmingham City, Dundee and Portadown as a centre forward.

Harley joined Third Lanark in 1958, and scored 71 goals in two seasons from 1960 to 1962, his 42 goals in the 1960–61 making him the highest scorer in the Scottish Football League First Division. In the 1962 close-season he was signed by English club Manchester City for £19,500. He made his debut in a 2–0 defeat to Aston Villa on 25 August 1962, and scored his first Manchester City goal two games later against Tottenham Hotspur. He scored 31 more goals in all competitions that season, including the winner in a Manchester derby at Old Trafford, to become the club's leading scorer, but Manchester City finished the season in 21st place and were relegated.

Harley joined Birmingham City in the close season for £42,000, thereby staying in the top division. He scored 9 goals in 28 League appearances for Birmingham, and moved back to Scotland in 1965, joining Dundee. He made just ten appearances for Dundee, scoring four goals, and was then transferred to Northern Irish club Portadown.