The Isle of Man lost an extremely popular and interesting character last week following the death of Eric Alexander of Port St Mary.

Eric was highly-respected for his involvement with the TT, MGP and Southern 100 as a marshal and flagman, also as a golfer at his home town club, but nationally in the highest levels of English football as the former chairman of Manchester City FC.

His grandfather, Albert Alexander, was a founder, president, chairman, vice-chairman, director and manager of Manchester City. The Alexander family’s involvement with the Maine Road club continued for three generations through to his father ’Little Albert’ (Albert Jr) and finally Eric.

The latter was Mancunian by birth, although his parents had planned for his birth in the Isle of Man - where they already owned a house overlooking Chapel Bay in Port St Mary - but he was born prematurely. Eric would ultimately spend the final 40 years of his life as a full-time resident in the island - describing his family as Port St Mary addicts.

He played for Manchester City at youth level before moving into the boardroom in the 1960s when had the responsibility for the development of young players.

Eric was one of four individuals to successfully complete a Manchester Professional Footballers’ coaching course alongside Manchester United’s European Cup-winning team members Nobby Stiles and Bill Foulkes in 1969, remaining friends with them ever after.

Some while later, Eric was appointed joint presidency of the Manchester Association of FA Coaches with Red Devils boss Sir Matt Busby - with whom he had an excellent relationship. His father, Albert Jr, had signed Busby to play at City when he first joined the English game in 1928 as an 18-year-old.

Eric was heavily involved during the glory years of the late 1960s at Maine Road, including the Division One championship in 1968, and the League Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup double in 1970 - both under the managership of Joe Mercer.

The latter was succeeded by assistant manager, the ever-flamboyant Malcolm Allison, following a dispute over the likely take-over of the club.

Mercer supported the existing board, still led by the respected Albert Alexander, while Allison supported the rival group led by Peter Swales after being promised that he would be manager in his own right.

Prior to the take over, Eric and the then groundsman had words with ’Big Mal’ about his insistence on using the pitch for first team training sessions.

Eric was chairman at a time when star names like Francis Lee, Mike Summerbee, Mike Doyle and Colin Bell were the backbone of the side, but was opposed to what he described as Allison’s ’obsession’ to bring Rodney Marsh to the club in 1972.

They ultimately signed the QPR showman for a near-English record £200,000, but although Marsh was top scorer for City in 1972-73, the striker later admitted in his autobiography that he probably cost City the league title that season.

’Rodney was an odd character, but could be good company,’ said Eric. ’On the pitch, however, he was not a team player.’

Eric was friends with Alan Ball’s father, Alan Sr, and he knew that the Everton star was unhappy at Goodison Park, but City couldn’t match the £220,000 price tag that Toffees wanted and ultimately got from Arsenal that became the highest transfer at the time in the country.

Other big names that did sign during Eric’s period as a director or chairman included Denis Tueart, Trevor Francis and Denis Law who, of course, ’defected’ from City’s Old Trafford rivals.

Peter Swales took over as chairman of Manchester City in 1973 and his tenure lasted for a 20-year period to 1993.

Eric moved back to the island full time shortly later and was full-time from 1979, but remained a director of the club into the 1980s, after which he was an honorary president.

He also owned a successful sports business in Manchester.

He recalled quite a revelation in a book he put together in 2008 recording the Alexander family’s 125-year involvement at Manchester City.

It mentioned a conversation Eric had with Matt Busby in the mid-1970s at a time when the latter’s bid to become chairman of United had failed.

’I was aware of his unhappiness and suggested he returned to Maine Road as a director, remembering that he originally started his professional career in the English league with City.

’What a homecoming that would be,’ I said.

Matt was quiet for a few seconds and then looked up and said: ’Aye, Eric, now that’s a thought. What about Peter [Swales], what would he think about it?’

It never came off, although the idea was put to Swales, who Eric regarded as a ruthlessly ambitious businessman. ’He knew that if Matt ever stepped foot in the City boardroom then his position as chairman would have been under threat.

’I told him that if he was to come over to City it would set Manchester football on fire!’

In latter years Eric said: ’Had Matt decided to come over, he would have been welcomed with open arms by practically everyone at Maine Road, but Swales clearly saw him as a threat to his own position.’

He and his wife Mavis raised four children in the Isle of Man - Jill, Angus, Hamish and Louise. Angus played football for Colby and was joint Division Two player of the year with Gary Purvis of St Mary’s in 1989, when Angus was the division’s top scorer. Sadly, his involvement with football ended with a broken thigh in a match against St John’s some time later - but he is still a keen golfer.

Eric was a popular member of Port St Mary Golf Club (he played from the age of 12) and a keen motorcyclist.

He loved his big R90 BMW flat twin, which he kept and rode for many years.

An avid follower of the TT/MGP and Southern 100, he was chief sector marshal on sector three (Greeba Castle to Ballig) for many years and chairman of the TT Marshals Association in 2003.

Eric first spectated at the TT in 1939 (at the age of six), but apart from 1946 he hardly missed a year.

He last officiated as a flagman at the bottom-end of the holding area on Castletown Bypass for the Southern 100 up until 2016, when he finally hung up his white coat and flags at the age of 83. His involvement with the Billown races lasted 60 years.

An unassuming and extremely polite gentleman, he will be missed by all who knew him.

Eric Alexander’s funeral service and cremation will take place at Douglas Borough Crematorium this Friday, October 18, at 1.15pm. Donations in lieu of flowers may be sent to RNLI Port St Mary branch.

JOHN WATTERSON