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Alec Gaskell (1932-2014)
Written by Newcastle Utd
Newcastle United were saddened to hear of the death of former player Alec Gaskell
Newcastle United were saddened to hear of the death of former player Alec Gaskell, who played at St. James' Park from 1953-54.
Raised in the Leigh area of Manchester, Gaskell was a highly-rated teenage striker, hitting goals galore for local clubs before getting chances at Preston, Blackburn and Manchester United.
It was with Southport, at the lower end of the Football League, where he made his mark, however, having joined the Haig Avenue club in 1951.
Gaskell showed menace in front of goal at that level, finding the back of the net 18 times in 45 outings, and was purchased as a forward to be groomed into a star of the future at St. James' Park.
In lodgings with Bill Punton while on Tyneside, he was given only one opportunity in United's first team - a Boxing Day derby against Middlesbrough during the 1953/54 season when he stood in for Jackie Milburn and Alan Monkhouse, who were both injured.
Gaskell returned to the lower sections of the football pyramid with notably Mansfield Town, Grantham, Tranmere Rovers and Rhyl, as well as Wigan Rovers, Mossley and Winsford Utd.
He resided in Cheshire and worked in Quality Control at the BICC complex in Leigh.