Alex Totten
Encyclopedia
Alex Totten is a former Scottish
association football player and manager.
, he signed for Liverpool
straight from school in 1960 before signing for top division Dundee
back in Scotland in 1964. After a season, he moved onto Dunfermline Athletic where made nearly 30 top division league appearances over four seasons. In 1969, he moved on to Falkirk
, racking up another 20 starts over his two seasons at Brockville and also scoring his first Senior goal.
In July 1971, Alex transferred to Dumfries side Queen of the South
and became a first team regular for the first time his career in the lower division. The last transfer of his playing days came in July 1973 with a move to Alloa Athletic
where he wound down his on-field career and became manager in 1980.
manager were ended when he took over at previous club Falkirk
. He then moved to Rangers
to become Jock Wallace
's assistant. He left Ibrox
when Graeme Souness
was appointed in 1986 and went to manage Dumbarton
. He then took St. Johnstone from the old Second Division to the Premier Division
in the space of three seasons. He also led Saints to Scottish Cup
semi-final appearances in 1989
and 1991
. Totten's role in Saints' progress was rewarded when he was made SFWA Manager of the Year
for 1991, but Geoff Brown sacked Totten in 1992 for demanding too much money for new players.
Totten then managed East Fife
and Kilmarnock
, before returning to Falkirk
as manager in 1996. He guided Falkirk to the 1997 Scottish Cup Final
, having defeated Celtic
in the semi-final. Falkirk lost 1–0 to Kilmarnock, who had sacked Totten earlier that season, in the Final. Totten was eventually moved into a director of football
role by Falkirk in 2002. Falkirk
played Rangers
in a testimonial match
for Totten on 21 July 2007 at the Falkirk Stadium
. The match ended 1–1 with Lee McCulloch
scoring for Rangers and Pedro Moutinho
scoring for Falkirk.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
association football player and manager.
Playing career
Growing up in Dennyloanhead, StirlingshireStirlingshire
Stirlingshire or the County of Stirling is a registration county of Scotland, based around Stirling, the former county town. It borders Perthshire to the north, Clackmannanshire and West Lothian to the east, Lanarkshire to the south, and Dunbartonshire to the south-west.Until 1975 it was a county...
, he signed for Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
straight from school in 1960 before signing for top division Dundee
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
back in Scotland in 1964. After a season, he moved onto Dunfermline Athletic where made nearly 30 top division league appearances over four seasons. In 1969, he moved on to Falkirk
Falkirk F.C.
Falkirk Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Falkirk. It is one of two professional football teams from the town, the other being East Stirlingshire...
, racking up another 20 starts over his two seasons at Brockville and also scoring his first Senior goal.
In July 1971, Alex transferred to Dumfries side Queen of the South
Queen of the South F.C.
Queen of the South Football Club is a Scottish professional football club founded in 1919 and located in Dumfries. The club currently plays in the Scottish First Division, the second tier of Scottish football. They are officially nicknamed The Doonhamers, but usually referred to as Queens or QoS...
and became a first team regular for the first time his career in the lower division. The last transfer of his playing days came in July 1973 with a move to Alloa Athletic
Alloa Athletic F.C.
Alloa Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Alloa, Clackmannanshire. They are members of the Scottish Football League and currently play in the Third Division....
where he wound down his on-field career and became manager in 1980.
Managerial career
Three years as Alloa AthleticAlloa Athletic F.C.
Alloa Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Alloa, Clackmannanshire. They are members of the Scottish Football League and currently play in the Third Division....
manager were ended when he took over at previous club Falkirk
Falkirk F.C.
Falkirk Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Falkirk. It is one of two professional football teams from the town, the other being East Stirlingshire...
. He then moved to Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
to become Jock Wallace
Jock Wallace
John "Jock" Martin Bokas Wallace was a professional Scottish football player and manager. His father, Jock Wallace, Sr., was a goalkeeper for Raith Rovers, Blackpool and Derby County....
's assistant. He left Ibrox
Ibrox Stadium
Ibrox Stadium is a football stadium located on the south side of the River Clyde, on Edmiston Drive in the Ibrox district of Glasgow. It is the home ground of Scottish Premier League club Rangers and has an all-seated capacity of 51,082...
when Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness
Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,...
was appointed in 1986 and went to manage Dumbarton
Dumbarton F.C.
Dumbarton Football Club is Scotland's 4th oldest football club – founded in 1872, just after Queen's Park , Kilmarnock and Stranraer...
. He then took St. Johnstone from the old Second Division to the Premier Division
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
in the space of three seasons. He also led Saints to Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
semi-final appearances in 1989
Scottish Cup 1988-89
The 1988–89 Scottish Cup was the 104th staging of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition. The Cup was won by Celtic who defeated Rangers in the final.-First round:-Replays:-Second round:-Replays:-Third round:-Replays:...
and 1991
Scottish Cup 1990-91
The 1990–91 Scottish Cup was the 106th staging of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition. The Cup was won by Motherwell who defeated Dundee United F.C...
. Totten's role in Saints' progress was rewarded when he was made SFWA Manager of the Year
SFWA Manager of the Year
The Scottish Football Writers' Association Manager of the Year award is given to the football manager in the top-flight of Scottish football, the Scottish Premier League, whom is seen to have been the best manager of the previous season.The award was first given in 1987, and was won by...
for 1991, but Geoff Brown sacked Totten in 1992 for demanding too much money for new players.
Totten then managed East Fife
East Fife F.C.
East Fife Football Club are a Scottish football club based in the Fife coastal town of Methil...
and Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock F.C.
Kilmarnock Football Club is a Scottish football team based in the town of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Founded in 1869, "Killie" is the oldest club currently in the Scottish Premier League. Home matches are played at Rugby Park...
, before returning to Falkirk
Falkirk F.C.
Falkirk Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Falkirk. It is one of two professional football teams from the town, the other being East Stirlingshire...
as manager in 1996. He guided Falkirk to the 1997 Scottish Cup Final
1997 Scottish Cup Final
The 1997 Scottish Cup Final was played on May 24, 1997 at Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow and was the final of the 112th Scottish Cup. Kilmarnock and Falkirk contested the match, Kilmarnock won the match 1–0, thanks to Paul Wright's goal.-Match details:...
, having defeated Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
in the semi-final. Falkirk lost 1–0 to Kilmarnock, who had sacked Totten earlier that season, in the Final. Totten was eventually moved into a director of football
Director of football
"Director of football" is a term describing a senior management figure at a football club, most commonly used in Europe. The exact nature of the role is often unclear and extremely variable and causes much debate in the sports media...
role by Falkirk in 2002. Falkirk
Falkirk F.C.
Falkirk Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Falkirk. It is one of two professional football teams from the town, the other being East Stirlingshire...
played Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
in a testimonial match
Testimonial match
A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
for Totten on 21 July 2007 at the Falkirk Stadium
Falkirk Stadium
The Falkirk Stadium is a football stadium in Falkirk in central Scotland, which plays host to the home matches of Falkirk F.C. although the stadium itself sits partly within the boundaries of the neighbouring town of Grangemouth...
. The match ended 1–1 with Lee McCulloch
Lee McCulloch
Lee Henry McCulloch is a Scottish association footballer who currently plays for Scottish Premier League side Rangers.He has been capped on 18 occasions by the Scotland national football team. During his career McCulloch has played for Motherwell, Wigan Athletic and Rangers as club level...
scoring for Rangers and Pedro Moutinho
Pedro Moutinho
Pedro da Silva Moutinho is a Portuguese footballer who plays for FC Braşov in Romania, as a centre forward.-Football career:...
scoring for Falkirk.