Alex Cropley

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Alex Cropley
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Personal information
Full name Alexander James Cropley[1]
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Place of birth Aldershot, England
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Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1968–1974 Hibernian 118 (27)
1974–1976 Arsenal 30 (5)
1976–1980 Aston Villa 67 (7)
1979–1980 → Newcastle United (loan) 3 (0)
1981 Toronto Blizzard 15 (2)
1981–1982 Portsmouth 10 (2)
Total 228 (41)
International career
1971 Scotland 2 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

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Alexander James Cropley (16 January 1951 – 27 March 2026) was a professional footballer who played as a midfielder for Hibernian, Aston Villa, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Portsmouth. Born in England, he was capped for the Scotland national team.[3]

Career

Cropley was born in Aldershot, Hampshire. His father is Jack Cropley,[4] who was playing for Aldershot at the time. Cropley junior, who grew up in Edinburgh, began his career with Hibernian, where he featured in the famed team of the early 1970s known as "Turnbull's Tornadoes". While with Hibs, he won the Scottish League Cup of 1972, in a 2–1 victory over Celtic in the final. Despite being born in the south of England, Cropley was eligible for Scotland and he was selected for matches played against Belgium and Portugal in 1971.[5]

Late in 1974, Cropley moved to London where he turned down an offer from Chelsea to play for Arsenal, whom he signed for in a deal worth £150,000.[4][6] He made his debut for the Gunners against Carlisle United on 7 December 1974. Cropley then broke his leg in a match away to Middlesbrough in January 1975 and broke it again soon after his comeback. He returned to make 22 appearances in the 1975–76 season, but could not secure a regular place in Arsenal's first team. He then linked up with Aston Villa in September 1976, having played 30 league games with five goals scored altogether for Arsenal.[4]

At Villa, he featured in a memorable win against the great Liverpool side of the period. Cropley also appeared in the League Cup Final of 1977 against Everton. The final needed to be replayed after the game ended in a draw. The second final saw the two teams once again finish the game tied altogether. In the eventual third final, with the game going to extra time, Villa won by a 3–2 margin over the Toffees and in so doing Cropley victoriously lifted the Cup.[7][8] He thereafter yet again suffered another a broken leg, in a game versus local rivals West Bromwich Albion on 10 December 1977.[9] Cropley then had a spell on loan at Newcastle United from January to June 1980, returning to Villa in July of that year. Cropley left Villa Park in March 1981 to feature a month later for club Toronto Blizzard in the North American Soccer League. He then left Blizzard in October 1981 and to link up in the following month for Portsmouth. He then ended his days as a professional footballer in 1982 due to persistent and serious injuries at the relatively young age of 31.[2]

Personal life and death

After his playing days came to an end, Cropley became a taxi driver within his hometown of Edinburgh. His son Jordan is also a footballer, who played for Hibernian's academy.[5][10][11] Jordan went on to feature for Scottish clubs Berwick Rangers, Arniston Rangers and Haddington Athletic.[11][12]

An autobiography entitled Crops: The Alex Cropley Story was released in 2013.[13][14][15]

Cropley was diagnosed with dementia in December 2020.[16] He died on 27 March 2026, aged 75.[17][18]

Honours

Hibernian

Aston Villa

Individual

  • Hibernian F.C. Hall of Fame: 2017[21]

See also

References

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  1. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Alex Cropley". London Hearts. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  2. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Alex Cropley". worldfootball.net.
  3. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Alex Cropley". 11 v 11.com.
  4. ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Profile". arsenal.com. Arsenal FC. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  5. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Spiers on Saturday: meeting Alex Cropley, a star of the seventies". Herald Scotland.com. 14 December 2013.
  6. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Alex Cropley: I was a spent force by the time I arrived". Portsmouth Today.co.uk. Archived from the original on 11 April 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
  7. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Fisher, James (15 August 2015). Aston Villa Greatest Games. Durrington: Pitch Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78531-037-9. OCLC 933444712.
  8. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Jawad, Hyder (17 December 2006). "Villa's 45-minute blitz of the champions". Birmingham Post. Trinity Mirror Midlands. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  9. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Adams, Tim (6 January 2008). "Crack!". The Observer. Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  10. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Campbell and Cropley exit Hibs". BBC Sport. BBC. 1 August 2009. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
  11. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Profile: Jordan Cropley". haddingtonathletic.co.uk. Haddington Athletic FC. Retrieved 8 February 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  12. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."BERWICK RANGERS : 1955/56 – 2011/12". neilbrown.newcastlefans.com. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  13. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Hibernian Legend Alex Cropley on Autobiography". Hibernian FC. November 2013 – via YouTube.
  14. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."'Crops: The Alex Cropley Story' with Tom Wright". The Edinburgh Reporter.co.uk. November 2013.
  15. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Former Aston Villa legend Alex Cropley discovered driving a taxi in Edinburgh". Birmingham Mail.co.uk. 25 July 2012.
  16. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.McPartlin, Patrick (10 December 2020). "Alex Cropley: Former Hibs, Arsenal, and Aston Villa midfielder diagnosed with dementia". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  17. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Tribute to Alex Cropley". Aston Villa F.C. 27 March 2026. Retrieved 27 March 2026.
  18. ^ Alex Cropley 1951-2026
  19. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Jeffrey, Jim (2005). The Men Who Made Hibernian F.C. since 1946. Tempus Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-7524-3091-2.
  20. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Villa Legend Alex Cropley". Birmingham Mail.co.uk. 25 July 2012.
  21. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Hall of Fame Inductee: Alex Cropley". Hibernian FC.co.uk.

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