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Alex Forsyth

Alex Forsyth

Alexander Forsyth, born Glasgow, Scotland, February 5, 1952. Alex Forsyth was lured to Manchester United from Partick Thistle by Tommy Docherty midway through the 1972-73 season. During his stay at Old Trafford, Forsyth accumulated 101 Football League appearances for the club before he joined Rangers in 1977.

Born and growing up in the Glaswegian suburb of Swinton, Alex Forsyth kick-started his football career when the promising wingman was lured down to London to sign on as an apprentice with Arsenal Football Club in 1967 at the age of fifteen. The Arsenal Board of Directors had appointed their club physiotherapist Bertie Mee as their new head coach at the beginning of the 1966-67 season, and the North Londoners seemed to be on the rise again after numerous years in decline under several managers, including Jack Crayston, George Swindin, and former Three Lions captain Billy Wright. Arsenal had finished the previous Football League campaign in a respectable seventh place in the First Division table and the once mighty club were now ready for a return to the big time. The Weegie never managed to settle down properly in North London, however, and the somewhat frustrated and homesick young player subsequently opted to make a rather swift return to The Doughnut City to join forces with Scottish First Division Partick Thistle in July the following year.

Back in Glasgow, Alex Forsyth enjoyed a new lease of life at the Paisley club and the youngster soon became a regular member of the talented first team squad. Under the inspiring leadership of ambitious Firhill Park manager Davie McParland, the locally born flanker developed into a highly versatile full back who would break up the attacks and move forward with the ball literally glued to his feet. Now thriving in a back line including vastly experienced defenders Jackie Campbell and Hugh Strachan, the steady club stalwart reached the absolute peak of his Partick Thistle career when he gained a Scottish Football League Cup winners´ medal with The Jags during the 1971-72 campaign. The recently promoted Scottish First Division team had managed to beat Falkirk by a comfortable score of 2-0 at Hampden Park in the semi-finals, but not even the most talented of clairvoyants could possibly have foreseen what lay around the very next corner for the lads in red and yellow shirts. Defying almost every single bookmaker in Scotland, The Maryhill Magyars rose to the occasion of the moment as the highly motivated and well organised Firhill Park team overcame their historical arch enemies and overwhelming favourites Glasgow Celtic in the Scottish League Cup Final on the 23rd of October 1971. In front of an attendance of more than 60,000 spectators at Hampden Park, Davie McParland´s men gave The Bhoys a trashing which they will probably never ever forget to this very day as Alex Rae, Bobby Lawrie, Denis McQuade, and Jimmy Bone all registered a goal each in the 10th, 15th, 28th and 37th minutes of the tie respectively to make the final scoreline on the scoreboard read 4-1 in favour of Thistle.

An attack minded right wingback blessed with a fearsome shot too, Alex Forsyth managed to notch up 56 Scottish Football League matches for Partick Thistle before he was purchased by recently appointed Manchester United manager Tommy Docherty for a fee of £100,000 in December 1972. The Scot quickly settled down at the club where he would would play alongside fellow countrymen like Martin Buchan, George Graham, Jim Holton, Stewart Houston, Lou Macari, and Willie Morgan. Former Chelsea, Rotherham United, Queens Park Rangers, Aston Villa, and Porto gaffer Tommy Docherty had taken the managerial reigns from Frank O´Farrell who had been given the sack by the Manchester United board following an embarrassing 5-0 defeat to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park shortly before Christmas, and The Doc had brought in several players hailing from Scotland in order to add some Scottish steel to his side. And as destiny would have it, Forsyth was given his Football League debut for Manchester United against none other than previous employers Arsenal at Highbury on the 6th of January 1973. The Gunners dominated the possession of the ball from the beginning and Docherty could only sit and watch as his ageing team of star players were outplayed by the hosts. The Old Trafford men struggled more and more as the game wore on and it was obvious to anyone watching the match in North London that their squad had to be dismantled and rebuilt in order to become a force to be reckoned with again. Arsenal eventually won the clash by a comfortable 3-1 margin courtesy of second half goals from from George Armstrong, Alan Ball, and Ray Kennedy respectively, while Brian Kidd managed to notch up a late consolation for the visiting team with five minutes left of normal time. Despite the defeat, Forsyth had an excellent debut game for Manchester United, and the hard tackling battler performed consistently well for the side as they kept struggling at wrong end of the First Division table for two whole consecutive seasons.

After experiencing a painful and shocking relegation from League Division One with Manchester United in the dreadful season of 1973-74, Alex Forsyth assisted The Reds to the Second Division Championship title in the 1974-75 campaign, and also helped them reach the FA Cup Final in 1976, only to suffer an embarrassing 1-0 defeat at the hands of Lawrie McMenemy´s Southampton. On their march to the FA Cup Final, First Division newcomers Manchester United had managed to overcome Second Division Oxford United, Third Division outfit Peterborough United, Division One clubs Leicester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers, and then fellow First Division Championship title contenders Derby County at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, while Second Division club Southampton had defeated Division One side Aston Villa, fellow Second Division teams Blackpool and West Bromwich Albion, Fourth Division Bradford City, and finally Division Three opponents Crystal Palace at Chelsea´s Stamford Bridge. Regarded by most pundits as a far better side than Southampton, Manchester United were massive favourites to overcome the South Coasters in the final at Wembley, but then again Soton were a team of experienced campaigners such as defenders Mel Blyth and Peter Rodrigues; midfielders Jim McCalliog and Paul Gilchrist; and forwards Mick Channon and Peter Osgood. Despite dominating possession and having a number of chances in the first half, United failed to find the back of the net during the opening forty-five minutes and it was stalemate at the break. Manchester United had several scoring opportunities in the second period as well, but a late goal from Southampton striker Bobby Stokes with seven minutes left on the clock of match official Clive Thomas put a bitter and cruel end to their trophy hopes.

But although Manchester United were unable to win any silverware during the 1975-76 season, the once sleeping giant had nevertheless made an impressive and rampant comeback in the First Division. Unfortunately, Docherty lost his managerial position at United at the end of the 1976-77 campaign because it was found out that he had an affair with the wife of physiotherapist Laurie Brown. His sacking ended one of the most dramatic and eventful chapters during the long and proud history of the club and he would leave his office with mixed emotions. During his rollercoaster regime, the Manchester United Football Club had been relegated to League Division Two in 1974, promoted back to League Division One in 1975, lost to Southampton in the FA Cup Final in 1976, and beaten Liverpool in the FA Cup Final in 1977. The always buoyant Docherty quickly resurfaced, though, as he took over the head coaching post at fellow First Division side Derby County at the front end of the 1977-78 season. The Mister Micawber of football later managed Queens Park Rangers, Sydney Olympic, Preston North End, South Melbourne, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and finally Non-League Altrincham. As for Forsyth, the defender proceeded to play well over 100 first team matches for Manchester United before newly hired manager Dave Sexton decided to let the defensive cornerstone go because the club had lavishly gifted youngsters like Arthur Albiston and Jimmy Nicholl waiting in the wings, and he ultimately decided to sign for Scottish Football League Champions Glasgow Rangers at the end of the 1977-78 term.

At that time, Rangers was managed by former captain John Greig, and fielded talented players such as Davie Cooper, Tom Forsyth, Colin Jackson, Sandy Jardine, Derek Johnstone, Alex MacDonald, Alex Miller, Derek Parlane, and Kenny Watson. Apparently, The Gers had at long last managed to come out of the annoying shadows of old rivals Celtic and the Protestant institution were brimming with sheer confidence. Alex Forsyth proceeded to play 54 first team games for Rangers and won the Scottish FA Cup Final with The Light Blues in May 1979 as they defeated Hibernian 3–2 after extra time in the second replay. After enjoying a short lived spell with Motherwell, the age defying right back went on to provide sterling playing service to Hamilton Academical for whom he played 63 Scottish League Division One matches before he ended his sporting career with Dumfries club Queen of the South. The Glaswegian also appeared in ten senior games for the country of his birth after being given his full international debut by then Scotland boss Tommy Docherty in a 2-2 draw against Yugoslavia at the Estadio Governador Magalhaes Pinto in the Brazilian Independence Cup on the 29th of June 1972. Lou Macari handed the Scottish side a deserved 1-0 lead in the 39th minute of the fixture, only for Velez Mostar midfield dynamo Dusan Bajevic to equalise for Yugoslavia following sixty minutes of action. Macari restored the lead for Scotland just three minutes later, but Manchester United defender Martin Buchan made the final result 2-2 with an own goal only three minutes from the end of the game. The Anglo-Scot had a relatively brief international career, however, and he made his final senior appearance for The Tartan Army in a 1-0 European Championship Qualifying victory over Denmark at Idraetsparken in Copenhagen on the 3rd of September 1975. Alex Forsyth Playing Career: Partick Thistle, Manchester United, Glasgow Rangers, Motherwell, Hamilton Academical, Queen of the South. Playing Honours: Scottish Football League Second Division, 1971, Scottish Football League Cup, 1972, English Football League Second Division 1975.