Career
Born in Hurlford to James and Jessie Turnbull of 1 Gibson Street, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Turnbull started his football career with his hometown club, Hurlford Thistle. He later moved to In 1905, City was found guilty of malpractice relating to payments of its players, and the entire squad was suspended from playing football. His first game for United came on the next day, 1 January 1907, against Aston Villa.
In 1908 alone, he would score 27 goals in 25 games.
On 19 February 1909, Turnbull scored the first ever goal at Old Trafford, in a 4–3 loss against Liverpool. He would go on to score 100 goals for the club in 245 games.
His final game for the Reds came against Sheffield United in 1915. Turnbull enlisted in the 23rd Battalion of the Middlesex Regimen (2nd Football) during the First World War before being transferred to the 8th Battalion of the East Surrey Regiment.
After being promoted to the rank of lance-sergeant, Turnbull was killed during the Battle of Arras on 3 May 1917 aged 32.
Turnbull"s body, if recovered, was never identified. He is commemorated on the Arras memorial. Turnbull received a lifelong ban from football in 1915 along with several others players after being found guilty of match-fixing.
He was posthumously re-instated in 1919.
Turnbull was married and had four children. Two of Turnbull"s sons, Alexander Junior. and Ronald, signed amateur forms with in August 1932, but neither managed to follow in their father"s footsteps and they were released before making an appearance for the club