Alexander McCluckie McSpadyen (19 December 1914 – 1978) was a Scottish footballer who played as an outside right, mainly for Partick Thistle as well as for Aberdeen as a guest player during World War IIAlex McSpadyen, AFC Heritage Trust and Portadown after the conflict ended.
Having been brought in to the Partick squad as an inexperienced teenager to potentially replace the long-serving Davie Ness,Rapid Rise, the Sunday Post, 17 March 1935, via Partick Thistle History Archive McSpadyen won the Glasgow Merchants Charity Cup at the end of his first season with the JagsQueen's in too big a hurry, The Sunday Post, 12 May 1935, via Partick Thistle History Archive quickly became a first-team regular and gained international recognition before his career progress was halted by the outbreak of war, which occurred when he was aged 24 and appeared to be coming to the peak of his abilities. He joined the Army and appeared for their select team in charity matches,Player Representative Honours , Partick Thistle History Archive while also finding time to play for Partick Thistle in wartime competitions when possible. This brought his total number of appearances for the club to 297 with 33 goals,Players Mac / Mc, Partick Thistle History Archive although his official SFL and Scottish Cup totals were less than half of that (130/13). After playing for Portadown, he returned to Holytown United as a trainer until the club folded a year later.'The Men Who Made Scotland: The Definitive Who's Who of Scottish Football Internationalists 1872-1939' by Andrew Mitchell, p.144 (published 2021)
McSpadyen represented Scotland twice, also playing in one unofficial wartime match,Irish XI v Scottish XI, 28 April 1940, 11v11.com and making three appearances for the Scottish Football League XI,(SFL player) Alec McSpadyen, London Hearts Supporters Club all between 1938 and 1941.
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