| Alex Millar | |
| Fullname: | Alexander Millar |
| Birth Name: | Alexander Urbonis[1] |
| Position: | Centre half |
| Birth Date: | 21 October 1911 |
| Birth Place: | Mossend, Scotland |
| Death Place: | Bellshill, Scotland |
| Years1: | – |
| Clubs1: | Mossend Celtic |
| Years2: | 1933–1934 |
| Clubs2: | Parkhead |
| Years3: | 1934–1935 |
| Clubs3: | Shawfield |
| Years4: | 1935–1938 |
| Clubs4: | Celtic |
| Caps4: | 10 |
| Goals4: | 0 |
| Years5: | 1938–1946 |
| Clubs5: | Preston North End |
| Years6: | 1946–1947 |
| Clubs6: | Dundee United |
| Caps6: | 25 |
| Goals6: | 0 |
| Years7: | 1947–1949 |
| Clubs7: | Morton |
| Years8: | 1949–1950 |
| Clubs8: | Stranraer |
Alexander Millar (21 October 1911 – 28 January 1977) was a Scottish footballer who played as a centre half.[2]
Born with the surname Urbonis,[1] Millar was a member of North Lanarkshire's Lithuanian immigrant community.[3] After playing with several local Junior teams until the age of 23, he began his senior career with Celtic in 1935,[4] where he was a reserve behind Willie Lyon in the queue for selection; he made five appearances as the club won the 1937–38 Scottish Division One title, but it is doubtful that he would have been presented with a medal. With the situation unchanged going into the following campaign he moved on, joining Preston North End in October 1938.[5] He had little time to become established in English football prior to the outbreak of World War II ten months later, and during the conflict he appeared as a guest player for Scottish clubs including Celtic and Motherwell, featuring for the latter in the 1945 Southern League Cup Final which ended in defeat by Rangers.[6] [7]
In 1946 Millar signed for Scottish Division B side Dundee United,[8] transferring back up to the top tier with Morton in late 1947 and playing for them in the 1948 Scottish Cup Final – again losing out to Rangers, this time after extra time in a replay; his performance in both matches against his internationalist opponents Billy Williamson and Willie Thornton, at the age of 36, was singled out for particular praise in press reports.[9] [10] After Morton were relegated in the 1948–49 season, he moved on to Stranraer for a short spell prior to retiring.[11]
Millar also served as chairman of the Scottish Football Players Union in the post-war period.[5] [12] He was the first of several Scots of Lithuanian descent to play for Celtic between the 1930s and 1960s, all of them defenders, the most famous being Billy McNeill.[5] [13]