Born: 23 January 1913, Belfast
Height:
Weight:
Position: Inside-Left
Representative
Honours: Ireland: 2 Amateur Caps (1937);
Northern Amateur League Representative
Club Honours: (with Cliftonville Strollers) Irish
Junior Cup Winner 1932/33; Clarence-Mayes
Cup Winner 1932/33; (with Belfast Celtic) Co. Antrim Shield
Winner 1938/39.
Club Career:
Clubs
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Seasons
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Signed
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Fee
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League
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Other
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Cliftonville
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-
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-
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Amateur
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-
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-
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Belfast
Celtic
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-
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c/s-37
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-
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-
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-
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TOTALS
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£-
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-
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-
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||
Biography:
A two-footed forward, Alex Shannon learnt his football at
Antrim Road Public Elementary School then Belfast Tech, where he won the Technical
Schools Knock-Out Trophy. An enthusiastic goalscorer, capable in any of the
inside-forward roles, with Cliftonville Strollers he tasted success in the
Junior and Clarence Cups and represented the Amateur League against the
Scottish Juvenile League when he was “not far removed from being the best
player on view”.
Shannon’s progress continued as he was elevated to the
Cliftonville Olympic side during the 1933/34 season and he finally established
himself in the senior eleven during 1936/37. A player who could “manipulate the
ball with the best of them”, Shannon was capable of opening defences with his
passing and also possessed a “good shooting boot” when the opportunity arose.
His “hustling tactics” having proved effective at Irish League level, Shannon
was awarded two Amateur caps in his first campaign as Cliftonville’s recognised
inside-left.
In the summer of 1937 Shannon left the Amateurs behind to accept a professional deal with Belfast
Celtic, this despite reported interest from Liverpool. He joined a dominant Celtic
side and faced stiff competition for a firstteam berth. Perhaps lacking the pace
required to establish himself as a regular, he did manage to claim a Co. Antrim
Shield winner’s medal following a 2-1 victory over Glentoran in April 1939.
Ireland Amateur
Cap Details:
13-02-1937
England. H W 5-1
21-04-1937
Scotland A L 0-3
Summary: 2/0. Won
1, Drew 0, Lost 1.
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