Alfie Conn, Sr.

Alfie Conn
Personal information
Full name Alfred Conn
Date of birth (1926-10-02)2 October 1926
Place of birth Prestonpans, Scotland
Date of death 7 January 2009(2009-01-07) (aged 82)
Place of death Glenrothes, Scotland
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Playing position Inside Forward
Youth career
Prestonpans YMCA
– Inveresk Athletic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1944–1958 Hearts 223 (115)
1958–1960 Raith Rovers 34 (15)
1960 Johnannesburg Ramblers
National team
1948–1955 Scottish League XI[1] 3 (2)
1956 Scotland 1 (1)
Teams managed
1960 Johnannesburg Ramblers
1960–1962 Gala Fairydean
1962–1963 Raith Rovers

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

† Appearances (goals)

Alfred "Alfie" Conn (2 October 1926 – 7 January 2009) was a Scottish professional footballer, most commonly remembered as part of the Terrible Trio of the Heart of Midlothian side of the 1950s, along with Willie Bauld and Jimmy Wardhaugh. He was born in Prestonpans, East Lothian.

Conn joined Hearts from Inveresk Athletic in 1944, making his debut later that year in a 4–0 win over Dumbarton in a wartime Southern League match. He established himself in the first team in the 1948–49 season, when first combined with Bauld and Wardhaugh. Conn's energetic, tenacious style and powerful shooting perfectly complemented the cerebral play of Bauld and the dazzling dribbling of Wardhaugh, and their first match as a forward trio resulted in a 6–1 victory over East Fife. The Terrible Trio continued to score freely in the following 5 seasons, Conn notching 102 goals, as Hearts became regular top four finishers, yet defensive inconsistency ensured they failed to collect any silverware.

Conn eventually won his first medal in the 1954–55 season, when Hearts defeated Motherwell 4–2 in the 1954 Scottish League Cup Final.[2] The following season, Conn scored as Hearts defeated Celtic 3–1 in the 1956 Scottish Cup Final, their first triumph in that competition for 50 years.[2] Two weeks later, Conn attained his only Scotland cap, scoring in a 1–1 draw with Austria.[2] Conn suffered a serious ankle injury, however, and managed only 15 league appearances over the following two seasons.[2] He played a bit-part role in Hearts League title success in 1957–58 before transferring to Raith Rovers in search of regular first team football.

He retired in 1960, and had a brief spell as manager of both Gala Fairydean and Raith Rovers.[2] After his footballing days were over, Conn had the pleasure of watching his son, Alfie junior, establish a successful footballing career of his own, notably with both Rangers and Celtic. Conn Sr. died on 7 January 2009, at the age of 82.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Alfie Conn". Londonhearts.com (London Hearts Supporters' Club). Retrieved 3 December 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Lomax, Andrew (7 January 2009). "Hearts legend Alfie Conn senior dies aged 82". Daily Telegraph (Telegraph Media Group). Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  3. ↑ Scotsman.com Obituary
Sources

External links

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