| Alex Prior |
 Alexander Lambie Prior was born on Wednesday, 9th November, 1910, in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire. The defender signed for Donald Turner's Thistle on Friday, 28th July, 1933, having most recently been with Stenhousemuir. Aged 22, he made his debut appearance on Saturday, 12th August, 1933, in a 7-3 win away to Hamilton Academical in the SFL First Division. Alex scored his first goal for Thistle on Saturday, 30th September, 1933, in a 4-3 defeat at home to Rangers in the SFL First Division. He scored his second and final goal for the club on Tuesday, 2nd January, 1934, in a 2-2 draw away to Rangers in the SFL First Division. He played his last game for Thistle on Saturday, 11th April, 1936, in a 1-1 draw at home to Dundee in the SFL First Division, having appeared as a Jag on 31 occasions. His club-list included Civil Service Strollers, Stenhousemuir, Partick Thistle and Hibernian. Alex died in the third quarter of 1970, in Horsham, West Sussex, aged 59. *
|
 The son of Arthur James Prior (b. 1882, chauffeur) and Annie Prior (b. 1876, née Lambie). Alex was the second born to his 2-year-old big brother, George. His Edinburgh-born father's occupation seemed to dictate a plush, well-travelled lifestyle for Alex. His Mum was from Ayrshire, his big brother was born in Dunbartonshire, he was born in Aberdeenshire, and within a year was living in Leicestershire! In his life he'd travel to Egpyt, Turkey and Singapore, and would eventually settle in Sussex. Presumably Edinburgh was his preferred base in the 20s and 30s, as he'd play there with Civil Service Strollers (up to 1931) and with Hibs for several seasons (from August 1936). Alex, a full back who could play on either side, first turned professional with Stenhousemuir in 1931 and he was a near ever-present in just over 2 seasons at Ochilview. He joined Thistle in the close season of 1933, but didn't enjoy the same automatic pick status in the top-flight, appearing just over 30 times in his 3 seasons at Firhill. Both of his goals as a Jag came against Rangers, the 2-2 New Years draw at Ibrox in 1934 being a clear highlight. Alex was largely confined to the Thistle reserves in his final two seasons, but that all changed in 1936 when he made the switch to Easter Road, where he was a mainstay and a noted fans favourite. His reported wholeheartedness in the green suggests that perhaps he was a Hibbee all along! Alex became a sports coach after he retired as a footballer. |
| (WS/JK) |
