BK: You were called 'The Blonde Bombshell' at Hearts and 'Golden Vision' at Everton, which do you prefer?
AY: I think 'Golden Vision' would be better.
"Keep signing Alex" The voice in the back shouted. Alex had stopped signing to think about the question.
BK:Which was the best player you played with at Everton?
AY: Its very difficult to pick out just one. It's either Bally, Vernon, Tony Kay or Bobby Collins, these four.
BK: If you had to pick just one Alex, who would it be?
He took a deep breath and stopped signing again.
AY:It would maybe Bally. But there were other great players: Colin Harvey, a classy player in that era, and Howard Kendall too. But there is not much difference between these players.
BK: What about playing for the Scottish Team?
AY: Dave McKay (he said without hesitation)
BK: Who was the best opponent you played against?
AY: I remember playing against Duncan Edwards, for one game only. I was playing for the Scottish Under 23 team. I was 18 it was at Sheffield and I was number 8. He was number 6. He was awesome. He was a real powerhouse.
Again we are interrupted as Nancy, Alex's wife tells him to "keep signing". I say "What time does the Dinner start tonight?"
BK: What do you remember about the only time you played against England for Scotland?
AY: It was at Hampden. It was 1 - 1. I played no. 8, Ian St. John was no. 9. Dennis Law was no. 10. But the majority of the game I didn't play, I just watched the game go by. I could have done much better. I maybe had a couple of touches, but I could have done 10 times better. I needed to get pumped up a bit. They never had a coach or a manager to get us going. Besides that I know Scotland should have won it by a mile. St. John was clean through straight down the middle three times, one on one with the goalie, he missed all three. So I blamed Ian. It was very disappointing when you come off after a game, and you never played.
BK: You played in all 42 games during the Championship winning season 1962/63, which is some feat. Did you play when you were injured?
AY: I played with knocks, but I never suffered from pulls or strains, When some players today have pulled muscles, I was lucky never to suffer from that. No doubt footballers today are not mamby pamby or anything. I think they are more prone to injury, with them training from a younger age.
BK: What would you say was your greatest achievement as a player?
Alex stops to think again. 'Keep signing, Alex' a voice says. 'It's hard to write when I'm thinking of answers.'says Alex .
AY: Eh, Maybe winning all the trophies that could be won in Scotland and then winning all that trophies that could be won in England, at the time anyhow. The league & cup at Hearts in Scotland, and both league & cup with Everton.

Alex shows his delight to hold a
Blue Kipper Card

Keep Signing, Alex

BK; If you had to pick the 'league' or 'cup' what would you pick?
AY: It would have to be the League, as it is the best team which wins the league, its not always the best team which wins the cup. It was a big thrill to win the cup, but to win the league. Oh! We ran away with the league that year. I think we finished 13 points clear. Something like that. As well, Everton had not won the league for a long time. The same with Hearts, when we won the league in 1957 we hadn't won the league for 60 years to win the four medals from both countries is special.
BK: when you came down from Hearts to Everton did you find it hard to adjust?
AY: No, not at all. I came down and I had a back splint on my leg. I never played for about 2 months and took maybe another 2 months to get fit. I found it no trouble, I was at home. There were good players near me. Roy Vernon, Bobby Collins, two great players.
BK: What about coming from Edinburgh to Merseyside?
AY: I felt at home immediately. Even though I hadn't played, there was no pressure to hurry me along and play. They just waited for me to get better and Goodison is very special.
BK; Looking back to the cup final of 1966, was it a penalty?
AY:Och Aye, Guaranteed. He definitely pulled my standing foot away. The referee was behind.
BK: In the same match, you scored but it was disallowed for offside, can you remember it?
AY: Yes, and I still canny understand why it was offside, as I ran from deep onto the ball, through a couple of players.
BK: What did you do after the match?
AY: We went to the Waldorph, I think, where we had a big dinner, with all the team, and our wives.
BK: Any high jinks?
AY: No. It was a brilliant dinner, but we just enjoyed ourselves.
BK: You have mentioned Alan Ball as one of the best players you played with at Everton. How did you get on with him?
AY: We roomed together for a year and a half until Harry really put the knife in and split us up. I always got on well with Bally. He had seen me play before he signed, and said he would love to play in the same side as me. I knew Alan's game and I thought he could play. We became friends and would go racing together.

BK: You bought a horse together didn't you?
AY: Aye yes we did, we only had it for one season. We bought it for 13,000 guineas. The horse was well bred it ran four times as a two year old. We had it for a year and then sold it for 80 quid, as well as all the training fees we'd spent. It was one of the first horse for Barry Hills in his first season as a trainer, and he ended up a champion trainer. The horse had no pace, but it was well bred we thought it was going to be a cracker. In the same year Labby saw a horse in a field over on the Wirral, and bought it. It was a thoroughbred but it wasn't well bred, and he named it 'Goodison', and he had 10 winners.
BK: What do you think of the loyalty of players to the clubs today? In particular what do you think of Frannie Jeffers and now Michael Ball leaving Everton?
AY: I'm surprised the two of them left. I don't want to criticize the young players. When we were at a club, you couldn't just walk away, you had to just do as you were told and just play as well as you could. But nowadays it seems you can just walk away. I don't know, there seems to be a lot of money about and it seems that Everton need the money.
BK: It seems like it has turned around a bit, with the likes of you and Bally and others who never wanted to go?
AY: Bally was transferred, he didn't want to go. Bobby Collins, he didn't want to go. I'm sorry to see both Ball and Jeffers go, I think if the money from 'Sky TV' was taken away the clubs couldn't pay the wages of he players demand today, there would be a problem then.
BK: What do you think of the move to the Kings Dock?
AY: There is something about Goodison, its a magic place. I think its a magic place, but if we have to go to make the club successful again I think we have got to do it. Obviously Goodison holds lots fond memories for everyone, but if we have to go then that's that.
BK: My first game at Goodison was the last game of the 1963 Championship season against Fulham. I don't remember much about the game, do you?
AY: Taffy Vernon scored three, I scored none. I was leading scorer up until that game, and Taffy beat me by one goal.
BK: What about the Characters in the team?
AY: Fellows like Westy, he was a character a funny lad. Brian Harris was a 'p- taker'. Bally never shut up. Ernie Hunt was a funny lad, he came from Coventry. He was always driving around with a Gorilla mask on and he had a false arm, which was very hairy. He'd ask someone a question on the street and then shake hands with them to thank them and then laugh at their reaction.
BK: I know its a silly question but are you looking forward to the match tomorrow?
AY: Oh Aye, Its great me and the foundation. I'm chuffed about it, I didn't want all the money myself, sharing it with the foundation is great. It means other former players who need help will receive something, which is great. Hopefully everyone enjoys the day and its a nice day and a nice crowd. It came as a great surprise to me when they told me it was going to happen. So yes, I'm really looking forward to it.
BK: Thanks a lot for your time, fantastic.
AY: It was nice to talk to you. See you tonight at the Dinner!.

I could have asked him lots more questions, but I only had 20 mins. but you can't grumble.

Alex with wife Nancy, & eldest grandchild, 13year old Charlotte.

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