Cole Alexander

Cole Alexander
Personal information
Full name Cole Alexander
Date of birth (1989-07-09) 9 July 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth Cape Town, South Africa
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)[1]
Position(s) Central Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Polokwane City
Number 12
Youth career
Leeds Lentegeur
Seven Stars
Santos
Hellenic
–2008 Ajax Cape Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2014 Ajax Cape Town 43 (0)
2010–2011 → Vasco da Gama (loan) 24 (0)
2012–2013 → Chippa United (loan) 10 (0)
2014–2016 Polokwane City 52 (4)
2016–2018 SuperSport United 9 (2)
2018–2020 Bidvest Wits 57 (4)
2020–2021 Odisha 15 (3)
2021–2023 Kaizer Chiefs 26 (1)
2023 Helsingborgs 7 (1)
2024– Polokwane City 9 (0)
International career
2015–2017 South Africa 6 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 August 2024

Cole Alexander (born 9 July 1989) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a central midfielder for South African club Polokwane City.[2]

Early and personal life

Alexander was born in Cape Town,[1][3] and grew up in the Lentegeur neighborhood of Mitchells Plain.[4] He attended Lantana Primary School and later Golden Groove Primary School before attending Wittebome High School in Wynberg.[5]

He is the son-in-law of Duncan Crowie, having married his daughter Jaime in March 2019.[6]

Club career

Cole started his junior career with local side Robert Bowman,[6] and went on to play junior football with Seven Stars, Santos, Hellenic and Ajax Cape Town Juniors.[4]

He started his senior career with Ajax Cape Town in 2008, and had loan spells with Vasco da Gama and Chippa United.[4][7] He made 43 league appearances for Ajax without scoring.[1]

On 23 June 2014, Cole joined Polokwane City on a two-year deal.[8] He made 52 appearances across two seasons at the club, scoring two goals.[1]

In February 2016, Cole signed for SuperSport United on a pre-contract agreement.[9] He made 8 appearances for SuperSport United during the 2016–17 season, and 1 appearance during the 2017–18 season. Subsequently, Cole signed for Bidvest Wits in February 2018,[10] where he made 57 league appearances across two-and-a-half seasons.[1]

On 10 October 2020, he joined Indian Super League club Odisha FC on a two-year deal.[11] This made him the first ever South African to play at the highest level of football in India, the Indian Super League.[12] Alexander scored his first goal for the club on 22 December in a 2–2 draw with NorthEast United FC.[13][14] On 23 July 2021, Cole mutually terminated his contract with Odisha FC after reaching agreement over an undisclosed fee.[15]

He returned to South Africa and Kaizer Chiefs in 2021.[16] In the latter half of 2023 he played for Helsingborgs IF in the Swedish Superettan, but then left.[17]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Cole Alexander at Soccerway. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  2. ^ Cole Alexander at Soccerway
  3. ^ Jones, Seraj (24 June 2020). "Stellenbosch FC offer Cole Alexander contract for transfer next season". Kick Off. Archived from the original on 12 September 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  4. ^ a b c Reiners, Rodney (8 December 2010). "King Cole is Vasco's joy". Cape Argus. Retrieved 10 October 2020 – via pressreader.com.
  5. ^ "Polokwane the perfect stop for Cole". Weekend Argus. 14 December 2014. Archived from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2020 – via pressreader.com.
  6. ^ a b Fillies, Avril (7 April 2020). "Football fire still burning for Cole". News24. Archived from the original on 11 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  7. ^ "Alexander Keeping A Positive Mindset After Heartbreak At Ajax". Sbnews. 19 September 2014. Archived from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  8. ^ "Alexander Signs For Polokwane City". soccerladuma. 23 June 2014. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  9. ^ "PSL transfer news: SuperSport confirm Cole Alexander signing from Polokwane". Kick Off. 1 February 2016. Archived from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  10. ^ "Another signing for struggling champs". Supersport.com. 16 February 2018. Archived from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  11. ^ "Odisha FC rope in South Africa international Cole Alexander". khelnow.com. 10 October 2020. Archived from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  12. ^ Upadhyaya, Suyash (19 November 2020). "ISL 2020-21: Everything you need to know about Odisha FC central midfielder Cole Alexander". www.sportskeeda.com. Archived from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  13. ^ "Cole Alexander spares Stuart Baxter blushes with first Odisha FC goal". Kick Off. 23 December 2020. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  14. ^ "ISL 2020-21: Odisha FC draw 2-2 with NorthEast United after Cole Alexander 67th minute equaliser". India Today. 22 December 2020. Archived from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  15. ^ "Cole Alexander bids an emotional goodbye as he parts ways with Odisha FC". OdishaFC. 23 July 2021. Archived from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  16. ^ "Kaizer Chiefs confirm Keagan Dolly and Cole Alexander signing". Kick Off. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  17. ^ "Officiellt: Cole Alexander lämnar Helsingborgs IF" (in Swedish). Fotbolltransfers. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.