John Findlay Posted March 27 Posted March 27 I felt this deserved a thread on its own. Although he made his name at Hibs, he was an excellent player. I thought he was just as good as Kenny Dalglish, but played for the wrong team that wears Green and White. Went on to play for Arsenal and then Aston Villa. Suffered a very bad leg break and his career down south was blighted by injury.
jamboozy Posted March 27 Posted March 27 Best compliment I could give is he gave me the fear when we were playing Hibs and he took his place in their team. RIP.
maroonsgotop Posted March 27 Posted March 27 (edited) Top class player who moved onto Arsenal for £150k in about 1974. Sadly he suffered 2 broken legs at Arsenal the second one occurring in his comeback game. He them moved onto Aston Villa where he lifted the League Cup before suffering yet another broken which effectively finished his top class career. Edited March 27 by maroonsgotop
joondalupjambo Posted March 27 Posted March 27 Watched him a fair bit when it was one week at Tynie and one at Easter Road back in the early 70's. Remember him as a really good player.
jr ewing Posted March 27 Posted March 27 5 minutes ago, joondalupjambo said: Watched him a fair bit when it was one week at Tynie and one at Easter Road back in the early 70's. Remember him as a really good player. He was part of a very good team 👏
Hømme Posted March 27 Posted March 27 Before my time but only heard great things about him. Sad news.
Morgan Posted March 27 Posted March 27 I thought that Cropley was the best player in that very good Hibs side. RIP Alex Cropley.
Australis Posted March 27 Posted March 27 What a terrific player he was. Played in a very good Hibs team too. RIP Alex Cropley. ❤️
Maroon Sailor Posted March 27 Posted March 27 Talented player. Had a 3 game loan at Newcastle just before he packed it in. He was goosed by then even though he just turned 29. I think his ex Hibs team mate John Brownlie had something to do with that loan move. He himself had sustained a broken leg in his career.
joondalupjambo Posted March 27 Posted March 27 54 minutes ago, jr ewing said: He was part of a very good team 👏 Yep. Stanton, O'Rourke, Blackley, Alan Gordon, Duncan et al.
bobskeldon Posted March 27 Posted March 27 Fantastic player in a fantastic Hibs side. He was also a nice guy.
Maroon Sailor Posted March 27 Posted March 27 Obviously this is Hibs orientated so don't watch if you don't want to but it shows you how highly regarded he was
Jerah Jambo Posted March 27 Posted March 27 I remember the derby at Easter Road in Sept. 1972 when Hibs won 2-0 and the two Alex's, Cropley and Edwards, were pinging passes all over the park and we couldn't get anywhere near them. I've always maintained that Hibs were far better that day than they were in the return game in January which is bettered remembered for all the wrong (obvious )reasons. Alex Cropley was a class act in a very good Hibs team at that time and I'm sorry to hear of his passing.
Morgan Posted March 27 Posted March 27 7 minutes ago, bobskeldon said: Fantastic player in a fantastic Hibs side. He was also a nice guy. He was a nice man. He lived in Paisley Crescent where my aunt and uncle stayed. I met him twice. Once in Paisley Crescent and once in a taxi that he was driving, on Leith Walk. He seemed a pretty modest person. And, what a footballer!
upgotheheads Posted March 27 Posted March 27 An Edinburgh footballing legend, whichever team you support. RIP Alex Cropley.
Tommy Brown Posted March 27 Posted March 27 Sad to hear this news. Deserved a far better career which was hampered by broken legs. Last seen him playing with the amateur team who took his name, Liberton Cropley in the early 80s.
Carter Posted March 27 Posted March 27 1 hour ago, bobskeldon said: Fantastic player in a fantastic Hibs side. He was also a nice guy. He was a really nice man. Poor man had been struggling with health for a few years.
Jingle Bells Posted March 27 Posted March 27 Quite a brave player who did well at Villa Think he was left footed and was a good passer amongst other attributes.
Don Dannie Posted March 27 Posted March 27 Went out with his cousin and spent a week at his house when he was at Villa. Very lovey guy. He ended up driving taxis here in Edinburgh.
heartandsoul Posted March 27 Posted March 27 Very sad to hear this. A great footballer in a great Hibs team. RIP Alex.
Captain Scarlett Posted March 27 Posted March 27 2 hours ago, Tommy Brown said: Sad to hear this news. Deserved a far better career which was hampered by broken legs. Last seen him playing with the amateur team who took his name, Liberton Cropley in the early 80s. A team put together by Eddie Campbell from the Inch. So good a team they were unbeaten for years and had to play through the west league for better competition.
Fort Vallance Posted March 27 Posted March 27 4 hours ago, Morgan said: He was a nice man. He lived in Paisley Crescent where my aunt and uncle stayed. I met him twice. Once in Paisley Crescent and once in a taxi that he was driving, on Leith Walk. He seemed a pretty modest person. And, what a footballer! Met him a couple of times at Sportsman's dinner and you're absolutely right. Came across as very respectful.
One five Posted March 27 Posted March 27 28 minutes ago, Captain Scarlett said: A team put together by Eddie Campbell from the Inch. So good a team they were unbeaten for years and had to play through the west league for better competition. Yeah the Caledonian league 👍
1874s_Kin Posted March 27 Posted March 27 Saddened to hear this. As others have said, he was a class act.
No Idle Talk Posted March 27 Posted March 27 My dad doesn’t often have good things to say about Hibs players but he told me Alex Cropley was a great player. So he really must have been. I think I saw him playing bowls on the green at the top of Montrose Terrace one day.
JWL Posted March 27 Posted March 27 Knew Alex from drinking in his pub in the 80's when I stayed down that way. Very unassuming guy and no affection for Hibs whatsoever. He would quite happily spend time talking about his time down south, and players he'd got to know down there; especially Andy Gray. Some crackers in there. Anyway, a wee crumb of how he had a wee bit of a sense of humour. On his last night in Cropley's Bar in Easter Road around 1998/99, he had a bit of a free for all (it was a Drybrough's pub but he'd been selling pint bottles of Tennents Lager under the counter, hence the fact he lost the licence), so it was back in the days of actual records on the juke box and obviously the Hibs song was on there. On the last night, with a few Hibbies in the bar (to be fair, not that many and they were all fine), one of them stuck the Hibs song on the jukey, B8 or something. Unknown to the guy (Tam Currie), I'd handed Cropley the Hearts song earlier and he'd swapped them round. The look on TC's face when the first bars were belted out. To be fair, even he thought it was funny. Crops was a gentleman and a thoroughly decent guy. RIP Alex
Maroon Sailor Posted March 28 Posted March 28 Didn't know he had a late 70s perm until I saw this picture
joondalupjambo Posted March 28 Posted March 28 Just noticed that he played for Toronto Blizzard the season after Drew Busby left them.
Always the Hearts Posted March 28 Posted March 28 Nice touch from Arsenal. https://x.com/Arsenal/status/2037900013557194966
Morgan Posted March 28 Posted March 28 6 hours ago, Maroon Sailor said: Didn't know he had a late 70s perm until I saw this picture I’ve never seen him with a perm either. Tell you what though, he was much more handsome without it! As were most of the clones who got one.
WorldChampions1902 Posted March 28 Posted March 28 An absolute class act. I remember feeling relieved when he was transferred to Arsenal. Like a lot of talented players at that time, he would have amassed many more caps had he played for one of the OF. Very sad news indeed. RIP.
J.T.F.Robertson Posted March 28 Posted March 28 Alex was going out with my best mate's sister around the time of the 0-7 (they later married) so I was in his company a few times. Now Jim was a Hearts' fanatic and said jokingly (kindo) that the next time he saw Alex he was going to break his ******* legs. Anyway, I found him to be a good lad and he certainly was a great footballer.
Maroon Sailor Posted March 28 Posted March 28 59 minutes ago, Morgan said: I’ve never seen him with a perm either. Tell you what though, he was much more handsome without it! As were most of the clones who got one. He looked like that guy from Mud
luckydug Posted March 28 Posted March 28 Really sad to hear this news. Alex was in my year at Norton Park and lived just round the corner from us in Magdalene. Even after he signed for Hibs he continued to join in our Sunday morning kick about in the local park. He was a quiet sort but even at a young age his talent shone through. As a Hearts fan I was delighted when he got transferred. RIP Alex.
jamborich Posted March 29 Posted March 29 (edited) 21 hours ago, luckydug said: Really sad to hear this news. Alex was in my year at Norton Park and lived just round the corner from us in Magdalene. Even after he signed for Hibs he continued to join in our Sunday morning kick about in the local park. He was a quiet sort but even at a young age his talent shone through. As a Hearts fan I was delighted when he got transferred. RIP Alex. I remember these days he stayed in Bailie Grove, small world I played in these Sunday kick about, lived and brought up in Magdalene, Ralph Callaghan who stayed in the christians would also turn up, good memories Edited March 29 by jamborich
4marsbars Posted March 29 Posted March 29 A really classy, skilful player. One of the best players in one of Hibs' best teams. Condolences to his family and friends. RIP.
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