Alec William Alfred Stock was an English football player and manager.
Background
Alec Stock was born in Peasedown Street John, Somerset, and played as an inside-forward for Tottenham Hotspur, Charlton Athletic and Queens Park Rangers before the Second World War and guested for several other clubs during the hostilities.
Career
He joined Yeovil Town in 1946. They had thrilling victories over Bury and Sunderland, before losing to Manchester United in the fifth round. He later managed Leyton Orient (1949–1959), AS Roma, Queens Park Rangers (1959–1965) (general manager 1965–1968), Luton Town (1968–1972), Fulham (1972–1976) and Bournemouth (1979–1980).
He was also the assistant manager of Arsenal for 53 days during the 1955-1956 season and was a director of Queens Park Rangers (1977–1979).
He was asked to manage the Third Division South team against the North in 1955-1956. lieutenant was perhaps Stock"s time as manager of Queens Park Rangers where he is most fondly remembered.
lieutenant was during his spell in the 1960s that coincided with the development of the club with chairman Jim Gregory. Stock had a focus on youth bringing many of the team through the club"s youth system (including Frank Sibley, Tony Hazell, Roger Morgan, Ian Morgan and Mick Leach) as well as blending characters such as Rodney Marsh and Mark Lazarus into the set up.
With internal pressures mounting in the club following the 1967-1968 season however, Stock was absent for three months, suffering from asthma.
In his book A Little Thing Called Pride Stock tells how Jim Gregory sacked him in 1968 for being ill, just as he thought he was about to return to the helm and save Rangers from relegation. He briefly returned to be a Director at Queens Park Rangers in the 1977/8 season. Ron Manager, a character in British Broadcasting Corporation comedy sketch show The Fast Show is based on Stock, told by George Best in his autobiography.