Alex Jackson (footballer, born 1905)

Alexander Skinner Jackson (12 May 1905 – 15 November 1946) was a Scottish footballer.

Football career
Alex Jackson was born in Renton in 1905. A highly talented winger, known as the Gay Cavalier, he was particularly adept at dribbling and free kicks. He initially played for Renton Victoria Football Club but was transferred to Dumbarton F.C. in 1922 for the pre-inflation price of a football. In 23, he left Scotland to play in the American Soccer League with Bethlehem Steel, alongside his brother Wattie, before coming back to Britain to play for Aberdeen. After an impressive debut season for the Dons he joined English side Huddersfield Town, then the reigning League Champions, for a record £5000. Jackson helped Huddersfield retain their league title in 1925–26 and the runners-up spot in the following two years. He also led them to two FA Cup Finals. He scored in the 1928 final against Blackburn Rovers, but it was not enough to prevent a 3–1 loss. In 1930 he was again on the losing side, this time against Arsenal.

Jackson signed for David Calderhead's big-spending Chelsea in September 1930 for £8,500, joining international teammates, Hughie Gallacher, Tommy Law and Alec Cheyne already at the club. His time at Chelsea was hampered by injuries, though he linked up well with the prolific Gallacher and himself scored 31 goals from 78 games for the club. Jackson's first-class career was then ended prematurely during the 1932–33 season. He and several other star players at the club were approached by French side Nîmes with a lucrative contract offer, which Jackson threatened to accept unless Chelsea broke their maximum wage structure and increased his salary. The club refused to budge and, in the days before the Bosman ruling, Jackson could do little. He was forced to finish his career playing for a series of non-league clubs such as Ashton National from Ashton-under-Lyne and Margate. He later joined French side Nice.

It was Jackson's career with the Scottish national team for which is now perhaps best remembered. He won his first cap at the age of 19 and was one of the Wembley Wizards, the name given to the Scotland side which beat England 5–1 at Wembley in 1928. Jackson scored a hat-trick during the match. He also scored the winner against England two years earlier. His international career was later hindered by the ban on Anglos, Scots who played for English clubs, as a result of a dispute between the SFA and FA, and he finished with 17 caps and eight goals.

He was killed in a traffic collision whilst serving with the army in Egypt in 1946.

Other interests
After retiring from international football he owned greyhounds at Wandsworth Stadium. He was enthusiastic about the stadium after it was built in 1933 and his first greyhound was called Jovial Honey. He also urged the management to consider the possibility of using the stadium as a football field inside the greyhound track.

International goals

 * Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first.