Milija Aleksic facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Milija Anthony Aleksic | ||
| Date of birth | 14 April 1951 | ||
| Place of birth | Newcastle-under-Lyme, England | ||
| Date of death | 17 October 2012 (aged 61) | ||
| Place of death | Johannesburg, South Africa | ||
| Height | 1.91 m | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1968–1969 | Port Vale | 0 | (0) |
| Eastwood | |||
| Stafford Rangers | |||
| 1973–1976 | Plymouth Argyle | 32 | (0) |
| 1976 | → Oxford United (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 1976 | → Ipswich Town (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 1976–1979 | Luton Town | 77 | (0) |
| 1979–1982 | Tottenham Hotspur | 25 | (0) |
| 1982 | → Luton Town (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 1982–1983 | Barnet | 0 | (0) |
| 1983–1984 | Wits University | ||
| 1985–1987 | Durban City | ||
| Total | 138+ | (0) | |
|
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Milija Anthony Aleksic (born April 14, 1951 – died October 17, 2012) was a talented English football goalkeeper. He played in 138 league games during his career.
He started his career at Port Vale. Later, he won the FA Trophy with Stafford Rangers in 1972. He then played for Plymouth Argyle and Luton Town. Milija joined Tottenham Hotspur in 1979. He helped them win the FA Cup in 1981, a very important trophy! After that, he played for Barnet and later moved to South Africa, where he played for Wits University.
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Milija's Early Football Days
Milija Aleksic was a goalkeeper who grew up in Chesterton, England. His father was from Yugoslavia. As a child, he was friends with Mike Pejic, who later played for the England national team.
Starting at Port Vale
Milija began his football journey with Port Vale in the 1968–69 season. He was only 17 years old when he played two FA Cup games for the team. He was a stand-in goalkeeper because the main one was injured. Milija was very dedicated, even ironing his shoelaces before games!
Moving to Non-League Football
In May 1969, Milija left Port Vale. He then played for Eastwood and later for Stafford Rangers. With Stafford Rangers, he achieved a big win. They won the FA Trophy in 1972, beating Barnet 3–0 at the famous Wembley Stadium.
Playing in the Football League
In 1973, Milija returned to the Football League. He signed with Plymouth Argyle.
Facing a Legend: Pelé
A cool moment for Milija was playing against the legendary Brazilian footballer Pelé. This happened in a friendly game against Santos in March 1973. Plymouth Argyle actually won that game 3–2!
Promotions and Loans
Plymouth Argyle did well during Milija's time there. They earned promotion to the Second Division in the 1974–75 season. In August 1976, Milija had short loan spells. He played two games for Oxford United and was also loaned to Ipswich Town.
Joining Luton Town
Milija then permanently moved to Luton Town in November 1976. He played 77 league games for Luton Town over three years.
Tottenham Hotspur and FA Cup Glory
In December 1978, Milija Aleksic joined Tottenham Hotspur. This was a big move to a top-tier team.
Tough Competition
At Tottenham, Milija had to compete with other good goalkeepers for a spot in the team. In one game against Manchester United, he got his jaw broken in an accidental collision. Midfielder Glenn Hoddle had to play as goalkeeper for the rest of that match! Spurs still won 1–0.
Winning the FA Cup
The highlight of Milija's career came in the 1980–81 season. Tottenham Hotspur reached the FA Cup final. They played against Manchester City at Wembley. The first game was a draw, so they had a replay. Milija played in both matches. Tottenham won the replay 3–2, thanks to goals from Ricardo Villa and Garth Crooks. This meant Milija was an FA Cup winner!
Later Career Moves
After winning the FA Cup, Milija faced more competition for his spot. He was loaned back to Luton Town for a short time. Then, in 1982, he went back to non-League football with Barnet.
Life in South Africa
Milija later moved to South Africa. He continued to play football there for Wits University. After his playing career, he worked at the Golfer's Club in Johannesburg.
Milija's Achievements
Here are some of the major honors Milija Aleksic won during his football career:
Stafford Rangers
- FA Trophy: 1972
Plymouth Argyle
- Football League Third Division second place (promotion): 1974–75
Tottenham Hotspur
- FA Cup: 1981
- FA Charity Shield: 1981 (shared)
