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Alan Gordon
Personal information
Date of birth May 14, 1944 (1944-05-14) (age 62)
Died Feb 18, 2010 (1944-05-14) (age 62)
Place of birth Edinburgh, Scotland
Height 6′
Playing position Striker
Youth clubs
–1961 Edina Hearts
Edinburgh Athletic
Senior clubs1
1961–1967
1967–1968
1968–1969
1969–1972
1972–1974
1974–1976
Hearts
Durban United
Hearts
Dundee United
Hibernian
Dundee
Total
111 0(49)

015 00(6)
077 0(34)
084 0(51)
036 00(8)
324 (128)

Alan Gordon (born 14 May 1944, in Edinburgh) is a retired Scottish footballer famous for playing for the two senior sides of both Edinburgh and Dundee.

Despite attending the rugby-playing George Heriot’s School, Gordon nurtured his early footballing prowess by appearing for youth sides Edina Hearts and Edinburgh Athletic. He earned a professional contract with Hearts aged 17, although he persisted with his studies towards an accountancy qualification and would continue to work in that industry throughout his playing days. He made his senior debut a couple of months later, playing in a League Cup final in only his second match. By the 1964-65 season he had developed into a first team regular, scoring 23 times as the Maroons narrowly missed out on the League title.

Following a year-long spell in South Africa related to his accountancy career in 1967, where he played for Durban United, Gordon left Tynecastle permanently in 1969, when Jerry Kerr paid £8,000 to take him to Dundee United. While with the Tannadice club he remained Edinburgh-based for business-reasons, training twice a week with the Terrors. However when Jim McLean was appointed manager he instigated a policy requiring all United players to live in Tayside and Gordon’s conflict of interests led to him being transfer-listed.

Eddie Turnbull paid £12,000 to take Gordon to Edinburgh with Hibernian in January 1972 and it was with the Easter Road side he enjoyed his career highlights. In 1972-73 he helped Hibs to victory in the League Cup and Drybrough Cup, while the following season they retained the Drybrough Cup. He also featured in one of the most celebrated matches in Hibs’ history, the 7-0 victory over rivals Hearts in the 1973 “Ne’er day” Derby, a match in which he scored twice.

Despite this success, Gordon was sold to Dundee for £13,000 in 1974, earning the unique distinction of having represented both of Dundee and Edinburgh’s senior sides. His spell with the Dark Blues was less successful however, and following their last-day relegation in 1975-76, ironically only by virtue of an inferior goal difference to former side United, he retired aged 32.

Since ending his playing days, Gordon has continued to work in the accountancy profession, with his clients including Irvine Welsh. He was a sports pundit for Radio Forth during the 1980s and more recently has worked as a match host for Hibs at Easter Road.


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