Keith Alexander honoured by the Black List

Former Macclesfield manager Keith Alexander will be honoured this Thursday with a life time achievement award as part of the ‘Black List’. Alexander, 53, who passed away in March of this year will be one the fifty chosen Black sports people celebrated by the list. 


The Black List was founded in 2008 by journalists Leon Mann and Rodney Hinds and published in The Voice Newspaper, the initiative celebrates the contribution of the black community for achievements away from playing the game. It has fast become an indicator of the British African Caribbean community’s progress in the game. The list was 30 strong in 2008 and 2009 but has been extended to 50 this year and includes people involved in football from the media, commercial and community side of the game.

His son Matt Alexander said: "He was a trailblazer and many in the black community held him in very high regard. Most people don't know half the stuff my dad had to put up with."

Alexander was the son of parents who had moved to England from the Caribbean island of St Lucia. He played for numerous non-League clubs as a powerful centre forward before joining Grimsby in 1998 at the age of 31. Although not the first Black manager he was one of the first in his generation to lead Lincoln in 1993.

Keith Alexander was on the list in both 2008 and 2009 and is considered by many to be a pioneer. His son commented that he “did want to see was more black managers and coaches in the game."