Portsmouth News 24/7Writer: pompeyrug 
Date:Friday December 7 2007
Time: 3:43PM
UK time is: 10:41:18
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He played them both - Villa: Alex Cropley
Indeed, in August 1982, the European Cup was paraded around Fratton Park, when the then holders Villa played Pompey in Cropley's testimonial match.
In fact, Cropley also played for Arsenal, signing for them from Hibernian in the early 1970s before he went to Villa Park in the mid 1970s. A loan period followed at Newcastle before he spent a year in Canada in the early 1980s, playing for Toronto Blizzard, a club that attracted a wealth of talent under its many guises during the 70s and 80s before they folded.
Despite it being said that Cropley was Hampshire born he still qualified for Scotland and was capped twice by them, firstly in 1971.
The 'local lad' spent a spell with Hampshire's finest Pompey at the end of his career, when the previously mentioned European Cup was seen at Fratton Park.
He is now a taxi driver in Edinburgh.
Written by NinjaTim.
The views within this article are the views of the individual who wrote and submitted this piece, sometimes solely theirs. They are not necessarily shared by the Vital Pompey Site Journalists.
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Your Comments
i didnt even know cropley has played for pompey tbh - i knew of him from arsenal and villa fame, but not pompey... who knows maybe one day we will see the european cup at pompey again!
pompeyrug
Blimey rug, not unless they bring back Jim'll fix it!! ;-)
pentonpompey
gotta say he made more of an impact in the claret and blue than the blue though!
merlin
How did he earn a testimonial at Fratton?
paultsmouth
Have to admit Paultsmouth i wondered that myself, you reckon i'll get one for games attended?
pentonpompey
didnt they bring back jim'll fix it on uk gold or whatever it is called now recently...
pompeyrug
I can remember Alex Cropley at Fratton Park and indeed can go one bettter than that too.... I met the bloke .... It was at the time when Pompey also had a Basketball Team and my mum (who ran a Nursery school in North End ... still there today but run by my big sister) anyway.. my mum looked after a lot of the kids of the Pompey basketball players (Alan Cunningham is the one I remember most) so when Cropley came to town and had to get his kid(s) looked after he went to my Mums nursery... and hence that's were I met him... I can't remember much about him as a player in the old third division days but I do remember a goal against Wimbledon, his first (I think) for Pompey and I also know that he got injured in when we beat Chesterfield 5-1 and I think that was his final game.. Whether that was the reason for his testimonial I'm not sure... but Ninja is spot on Pompey played Villa in August '82 and the European Cup was paraded around Fratton Park...... Pompey lost 4-3
Chix
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