Jim McAlpine
{{short description|Scottish footballer}}
{{For|the player for Queen's Park|James McAlpine}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Jim McAlpine
| image =
| fullname = James Montgomery McAlpine
| birth_date = {{birth date|1887|6|28|df=y}}
| birth_place = Dalziel, Lanarkshire, Scotland
| death_date = October qtr. 1948 (aged 61)
| death_place = Southampton, England
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=7}}
| position = Left half
| youthyears1=
| youthclubs1= Strathclyde
| years1 = 1907–1908 | clubs1 = Craigneuk Heatherbell
| caps1 = | goals1 =
| years2 = 1908–1909 | clubs2 = Dalziel Rovers
| caps2 = | goals2 =
| years3 = 1909–1910 | clubs3 = Vale of Clyde
| caps3 = | goals3 =
| years4 = 1910–1911 | clubs4 = Strathclyde
| caps4 = | goals4 =
| years5 = 1911–1919 | clubs5 = Southampton
| caps5 = 132 | goals5 = 2
| years6 = 1915 | clubs6 = → Kilmarnock (guest)
| caps6 = 3| goals6 = 0
| years7 = 1916 | clubs7 = → Wishaw Thistle (guest)
| caps7 = | goals7 =
| years8 = 1919–1921 | clubs8 = MillwallFootball League (1920-21) only
| caps8 = 17 | goals8 = 0
| years9 =1921–1923 | clubs9 =Gillingham
| caps9 = 50 | goals9 = 0
}}
James Montgomery McAlpine (28 June 1887 – October qtr. 1948){{cite book|last1=Chalk|first1=Gary|last2=Holley|first2=Duncan|last3=Bull|first3=David|title=All the Saints: A Complete Players' Who's Who of Southampton FC|year=2013|location=Southampton|publisher=Hagiology Publishing|isbn=978-0-9926-8640-6|page=118}} was a Scottish footballer, who played as a half back for Southampton in the Southern League before playing for Football League clubs Millwall and Gillingham.
Football career
Born in Dalziel, (Motherwell, Lanarkshire), McAlpine played for various local clubs, including Strathclyde where he was spotted by scouts from Southampton. Along with teammate Andrew Gibson, he signed for the Saints in May 1911 and was considered to be one of new manager George Swift's better signings. Swift was Southampton's first appointment as manager and promptly embarked on a spending spree, signing eleven players in six weeks.{{cite book | first1=Gary |last1=Chalk |first2=Duncan |last2=Holley | title=Saints – A complete record| publisher= Breedon Books| year=1987| pages =50–51 |isbn=0-907969-22-4}}
Playing alongside the ever-dependable Bert Lee, he became a virtual ever-present up to the suspension of football in 1915. According to Holley & Chalk's "The Alphabet of the Saints", McAlpine was "rather small for a left half, (but) made up for his lack of stature with a determined and forceful temperament that made him a firm favourite with the Saints crowd."{{cite book | first1=Duncan |last1=Holley |first2=Gary |last2=Chalk | title=The Alphabet of the Saints| publisher= ACL & Polar Publishing | year=1992|page=215| isbn=0-9514862-3-3}}
During World War I he remained on Saints' books, but joined local shipbuilders Harland & Wolff and turned out for their works football team, often against the Saints. He briefly returned to his native Scotland, playing for Kilmarnock and Wishaw Thistle.{{cite journal|title=A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players|author=John Litster|publisher=Scottish Football Historian magazine|date=October 2012}}
After the war he moved to Millwall where he was part of their first ever Football League side in 1920–21. In July 1921 he moved on to Gillingham for a couple of seasons before retiring.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McAlpine, Jim}}
Category:Scottish men's footballers
Category:Southampton F.C. players
Category:Kilmarnock F.C. wartime guest players
Category:Wishaw Thistle F.C. players
Category:Millwall F.C. players
Category:Gillingham F.C. players
Category:Southern Football League players
Category:Scottish Football League players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Footballers from Motherwell
Category:Men's association football wing halves
Category:Scottish Junior Football Association players