Alec Cheyne

Football manager infobox
playername= Alec Cheyne


fullname = Alexander George Cheyne
height = height|ft=5|in=8
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date|1907|4|28
cityofbirth = Glasgow
countryofbirth = Scotland
dateofdeath = Death date and age|1983|7|5|1907|4|28
cityofedeath =
countryofdeath =
currentclub =
clubnumber =
position = Striker
youthyears =
youthclubs = Shettleston Juniors
years = 1925-30
1930-32
1932-34
1934-36
clubs = Aberdeen
Chelsea
Nîmes
Chelsea
caps(goals) = 127 (48)
60 (11)
0? 0(?)
09 0(2)
nationalyears = 1929-30
nationalteam = Scotland
nationalcaps(goals) = 05 0(4)
manageryears = 1949-55
managerclubs = Arbroath
pcupdate =
ntupdate =

Alexander George 'Alec' Cheyne (28 April 1907 – 5 July 1983) was a Scottish footballer who played as an inside-forward. He is reputed to have been responsible for the Hampden Roar following his goal in the 'Cheyne International' of 1929. [ cite book| first=Jack| last=Webster| title=The First 100 Years of The Dons: the official history of Aberdeen Football Club 1903 - 2003| publisher=Hodder and Stoughton| year=2003| id=ISBN 0 340 82344 5| page=122-123]

Cheyne began as a professional for Aberdeen, signing in 1925 from Shettleston Juniors. During his time at Pittodrie he became an idol of the locals > cite book| first=Jack| last=Webster| title=The First 100 Years of The Dons: the official history of Aberdeen Football Club 1903 - 2003| publisher=Hodder and Stoughton| year=2003| id=ISBN 0 340 82344 5| page=123] , and his goals helped improve the team from regular mid-table finishes to third place in his final season. [ cite book| first=Paul| last=Smith| title=The Legends of Aberdeen| publisher=Breedon Books| year=2007| id=ISBN 978 1 85983 575 3| page=39] He joined Chelsea in 1930 for a club record fee of £6000 but, despite playing alongside other talented forwards such as Hughie Gallacher and Alex Jackson, he struggled to settle and joined French club Nîmes Olympique in 1932. He returned to Chelsea two years later, finally leaving in 1936. Upon retiring Cheyne moved into coaching, initially with Chelmsford City before becoming manager of Arbroath, though without success.

Cheyne won five caps for the Scottish national team, scoring four goals, including a hat-trick against Norway and a goal direct from a corner - a feat which was only legalised the season before - against England. This last is credited with starting the 'Hampden Roar': as Scotland were playing with only ten players and there was less than a minute remaining of the game, the crowd of over 110,000 took up a roar of encouragement, which continued until well after the final whistle and subsequently became a common sound at Scotland home games. Cheyne is reported to have made scoring form corners something of a speciality, having performed the feat twice more for his club side the following season.

References