I remember the Match of the Day cameras back in 1989 heading to Plough Lane. Then holders Wimbledon FC of the top tier in English football would take on fourth division Grimsby Town in the fifth round of the FA Cup. 7,000 Mariners with what looked to be as many inflatable Harry Haddocks invading South London, back then inflatables were the thing…

A big tall black striker in the name of Keith Alexander opened the scoring for Grimsby. Short shorts, long socks, pencil moustache, looking more like a basketballer than a footballer, a bullet header from a corner that beat former Forest Dutchman Hans Segers in the Wimbledon goal.

The Dons would eventually win 3-1 and progress to the Quarter Finals, but I always remember that day as the first time I caught eye of Keith.

By then, the Nottingham born old fashioned style target man and centre forward was already in his early 30’s. Having carved out a career in non-league it was locally with clubs such as Arnold, Ilkeston, Grantham & Stamford and many many more, where he made his name.

After a spell at Kettering he joined Barnet before joining Alan Buckley’s Grimsby in 1988, then in the old fourth division. 26 league goals in 83 games was a solid return at Blundell Park before later spells at Stockport, Lincoln, Mansfield amongst others, but it was as a Manager where Keith Alexander really made his name.

It was with Lincoln City where Keith became English football’s first black Manager as he stepped up from Youth Team Coach where he nurtured Nottingham born Darren Huckerby and Matt Carbon amongst others into fantastic talents that would carve out decent careers in the game. Alexander took charge of Lincoln in 1993 as Caretaker Manager lasting a season at Sincil Bank before taking the reins of Ilkeston Town where he achieved huge success.

Alexander continued his love with the FA Cup whilst Managing non-league Ilkeston to their highest ever finish in football, giant-killing cup runs included victories over Boston and Carlisle United whilst reaching the second round in 1997 before losing to Scunthorpe United, this prior to taking over as Manager of Northwich Victoria where amongst other things like stearing the side away from relegation, his team held Leyton Orient to a 3-3 draw also in the second round of the 2001 competition.

After leaving Northwich, Alexander rejoined Lincoln as Director of Coaching before taking over as Manager with the club in Administration in May 2002.

Alexander steered his team towards safety and into the playoffs, earning himself the nickname locally as ‘Alexander the great’ before losing to Bournemouth in the final, his first of three successive playoff finishes at Lincoln all be it, all three unsuccessful but gallant attempts.

Keith would go on to manage Peterborough and Macclesfield and it was at the Moss Rose based club where the week before his hundredth game in charge of the silkmen he sadly and too suddenly passed away. After feeling unwell shortly after Macclesfield’s league match at Notts County, Alexander was admitted to Lincoln Hospital where he died aged 53.

Tributes from far and wide came in as team-mates, staff, friends and opponents gathered to offer their praise on a man, an exceptionally knowledgeable and kind football man that went into the reaches where no-one else dared before him. A first black manager in British football, a ground breaker to those who would eventually follow suit.

Keith Alexander’s legacy however is not just towards other black managers, but is to everyone of those players that have played under him, to everyone that has worked with and against him, to everyone that has enjoyed the company of Keith and his calming ways. A powerful but gentle giant, one respected from far and wide, one loved by many for what he achieved.

“Put it in the POMO” was one of his sayings, a coach who liked to ‘get it forward’. No-nonsense was his style, at Lincoln he often played a unique 5-2-3 formation, horrible to watch, but effective, a style designed to bypass midfield, to turn front to back as quickly as possible.

On 15^th March 2020 thousands lined the streets of Lincoln to mourn the loss of a man that managed more than 400 league games, played more than 400 too with well over 100 goals scored across the lower levels, a service at Lincoln Cathedral huge, fitting, to a man that not only served the town well, but to one that served football and its communities as well as can be served.

Keith’s very own son Matt, a man who has done not only dad proud but himself proud, a dignified young man who has continued the Alexander football legacy as a FIFA licensed agent, said at his funeral “If he was looking down and saw the reaction that followed his death and how valuable people thought he was, he would be smiling. He would realise that all his hard work had paid off.”

“A top bloke and a nice guy, a true footballing man that was always there and not just for football reasons” was one players memory of him.

I no doubt believe that if Keith was alive today, he would still be managing someone, somewhere, with always an ear to listen, a door half open ready to be knocked on, a laugh to be heard coming from his office and an answer to respond to any question given, no matter the level or player involved, no matter how old or healthy he was, because football was in Keith’s blood, a man who lived, breathed and died for the game he loved.

*Article provided by Daniel Peacock (Editor).

*Main image @lincolncity_fc Keith Alexander whilst in his early days with Lincoln City.