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Alex Dawson R.I.P.

One for the older supporters. Was a Busby Babe but only 18 at the time of the Munich air crash in 1958 and not on that trip. Played regularly for Man Utd in the following 2-3 years. Then joined Preston for whom he scored a lot of goals. Saw him play a couple of times at The Valley and was in the Preston team that lost to West Ham in the 1964 cup final. A big bruiser of a centre forward.


Comments

  • He scored one of the goals in that Cup Final - the first one I watched on TV.
    (Would have watched the '63 Final, but that was delayed so long by the legendary 62/63 winter, that I was on holiday when it was played)
    RIP
  • I watched that West Ham v Preston North End Cup Final on TV and saw Alex Dawson at The Valley too at least once. I seem to remember us stuffing them 5-2 on one occasion. I think Cliff Holton was playing for us then.

    Anyway back to Alex Dawson. He was a typical old fashioned centre forward who stuck in the memory of an impressionable young football fan and another part of my childhood memories has gone.

    RIP
  • Yes, indeed, @LenGlover. I remember him the same way. At inside left was Alan Spavin, another good footballer. RIP Alex.

  • RIP Alex Dawson

    A powerful centre forward built a bit like Gerd Muller with a low centre of gravity. Always reminded me of Fred Flintstone.

    1966. I saw 4 matches CAFC/PNE and remember them vividly.

    Jan FAC3 - Charlton in dreadful form but the home tie brought the hope of a change in fortune. No such luck - a miserable cold and rainy day at a bleak Valley saw us fall behind early and we were never in the running. Finished 2-3.

    Apr - an early Good Friday start (11 am?) and a rampant Charlton revitalised by Cliff Holton won 5-2. (Then to WHL in the afternoon for THFC 1-4 West Ham and the next day to Stamford Bridge for Chelsea 6-2 West Ham.) On the Tuesday night the return at Deepdale. Addicks 3-1 up in 50 mins and playing superbly but the match ended 3-3 - a long night on the train back to London and then straight into work.

    Oct - an indifferent start to the season gave us little optimism for the Deepdale visit but the tenacious defence of a 1-0 lead and a 1-1 spell almost succeeded until a desperate 89th-minute goalmouth scramble in by then dire conditions saw Alex Dawson score PNE's winner. A dismal evening on the train back duly mellowed as brown ale followed brown ale (Whitbread's Forest Brown our default lubrication in those days) and the buffet table gradually disappeared from view under countless empty bottles. 

  • i was lucky enough to win a ticket for the West Ham v Preston cup final.
    Stood behind the goal with the Hammers supporters. Think he put Preston in front.
    Remember Alex Dawson known affectionately as 'The Black Prince',
    because of his swarthy completion. Was great in the air.
    RIP Big Alex!
  • i was lucky enough to win a ticket for the West Ham v Preston cup final.
    Stood behind the goal with the Hammers supporters. Think he put Preston in front.
    Remember Alex Dawson known affectionately as 'The Black Prince',
    because of his swarthy completion. Was great in the air.
    RIP Big Alex!
    Yes, that's correct. I ended up looking at the highlights of the final on YouTube this morning. Dawson got a goal just before half time to put them 2-1 up. West Ham then got the two goals in the second half to win. He didn't look as tall as I thought I recalled (I guess it's all relative when you are a youngster yourself) but was definitely broad and looked like a boxer.

  • RIP Alex Dawson

    A powerful centre forward built a bit like Gerd Muller with a low centre of gravity. Always reminded me of Fred Flintstone.

    1966. I saw 4 matches CAFC/PNE and remember them vividly.

    Jan FAC3 - Charlton in dreadful form but the home tie brought the hope of a change in fortune. No such luck - a miserable cold and rainy day at a bleak Valley saw us fall behind early and we were never in the running. Finished 2-3.

    Apr - an early Good Friday start (11 am?) and a rampant Charlton revitalised by Cliff Holton won 5-2. (Then to WHL in the afternoon for THFC 1-4 West Ham and the next day to Stamford Bridge for Chelsea 6-2 West Ham.) On the Tuesday night the return at Deepdale. Addicks 3-1 up in 50 mins and playing superbly but the match ended 3-3 - a long night on the train back to London and then straight into work.

    Oct - an indifferent start to the season gave us little optimism for the Deepdale visit but the tenacious defence of a 1-0 lead and a 1-1 spell almost succeeded until a desperate 89th-minute goalmouth scramble in by then dire conditions saw Alex Dawson score PNE's winner. A dismal evening on the train back duly mellowed as brown ale followed brown ale (Whitbread's Forest Brown our default lubrication in those days) and the buffet table gradually disappeared from view under countless empty bottles. 

    Did Dawson score a hat trick in that game. Ar the time Charlton could not buy a win and that didn't  change until Cliff Holton had been bought,  first game away win at Ipswich 1-4 and 3 up in 14 minutes with Peacock direct from a corner. Great day out.

    No h/t for Alex Dawson. After beating Carlisle 3-2 at The Valley on 9 Oct 65 CAFC's next win did not come until 5 Feb 66 - 4-1 at Portman Road. Cliff Holton was largely responsible. It was indeed a brilliant day at Ipswich, with the Addicks contingent surprisingly large, especially given our prevailing form. A remarkable start to the game.

  • I saw that FA Cup game in 1966 along with my Dad,sat in the old stand.Wondered who their centre forward was and he seemed unplayable. Had an early taste of that inevitability of an opposition player scoring a hat-trick. He was very impressive.Very sad to hear he had passed away.The defenders upstairs are in for a bumpy eternity.RIP.
  • RIP Alex. Remember seeing him in some of the games mentioned. No frills, old fashioned centre forward who took no prisoners.

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  • He scored one of the goals in that Cup Final - the first one I watched on TV.
    (Would have watched the '63 Final, but that was delayed so long by the legendary 62/63 winter, that I was on holiday when it was played)
    RIP
    That was also the first cup final I remember watching on T.V. but I think it was 1964.
    A young Howard Kendall made his debut for Preston.
    Strangely enough I can still remember the West Ham team.
    It was. 
    Jim Standen G.K.
    John Bond, Jack Burket
    Eddie Bovington, Ken Brown and Bobbie Moore.
    Braybrook, Buyce, Burne, Geoff Hurst, and Johnny Sissons.
    Useless trivia and I'm not even a Wet Spam supporter.

  • He was a very good centre forward. I am sure he could have played in the top division.
    Players did not move about much then did they.......unless they played for us!
  • He scored one of the goals in that Cup Final - the first one I watched on TV.
    (Would have watched the '63 Final, but that was delayed so long by the legendary 62/63 winter, that I was on holiday when it was played)
    RIP
    That was also the first cup final I remember watching on T.V. but I think it was 1964.
    A young Howard Kendall made his debut for Preston.
    Strangely enough I can still remember the West Ham team.
    It was. 
    Jim Standen G.K.
    John Bond, Jack Burket
    Eddie Bovington, Ken Brown and Bobbie Moore.
    Braybrook, Buyce, Burne, Geoff Hurst, and Johnny Sissons.
    Useless trivia and I'm not even a Wet Spam supporter.

    Jack Burkett had a brief but undistinguished period with us if memory serves me right. c1970 off the top of my head.
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