Alex Brown (1937-2024)
Greenock Morton Football Club was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of former goalkeeper Alex Brown on 22nd December 2024. He was 87 years of age and one of the few surviving players of the marvellous Morton team of 1963/64.
By Niall McGilp
Alex was a Fifer, born in Methil on August 15th 1937. His father was a professional footballer with St Johnstone, and he was to follow a similar path, starting his career with Lochgelly Albert Juniors before signing for Dundee United in August 1958 as a 21-year-old. He played 91 times for the Tannadice club, over four seasons. 42 of those matches were in 1959/60 Season, when the club won promotion to Division One. He was immensely proud of this achievement.
His move to Cappielow came in August 1962, as Morton manager Hal Stewart continued to build a side capable of winning promotion, and he played 61 games for the Cappielow club over the next two seasons, achieving 21 clean sheets in the process. Morton came so close to winning promotion in his debut season, finishing third and missing out by just one point.
However, 1963/64 was to be a great season for the club, reaching the League Cup Final and winning the Second Division Championship with a record points total. Alex played in all 11 games in the League Cup campaign, which saw Morton win their Group with maximum points, before defeating Motherwell in a two-leg quarter-final, and Hibernian in a replayed semi-final, to reach the Final at Hampden. A record 105,907 attended the game against Rangers; Morton competed very well in the first half, with press reports describing “scarlet-clad” Alex making several great saves, but Rangers became more dominant in the second. Reports praised Morton’s fighting spirit, but two goals in the last two minutes took the score to 5-0, overstating the Ibrox club’s superiority.
Alex played in 14 League games that season too, Morton winning every one, on the way to the title; so ironically, the League Cup Final was the only one of 25 appearances in 1963/64 in which he was on the losing side.
With the arrival of Erik Sorensen in March 1964, Alex was released at the end of the season and moved to Raith Rovers for 1964/65. Thereafter, he intended to emigrate to Australia, where he had a coaching role confirmed , but ultimately changed his mind and stayed in Scotland where he coached very successfully for many years at youth and amateur level, whilst working as a furnaceman in Leven.
Alex Brown made a significant contribution to a successful Morton team in the early 1960s. He is survived by his sons Alex and Tam, seven grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this very sad time.
