Alex Wilkinson (Craig Robert Young) 1998-1999

First Regular Appearance: 2.4 (#68)  Thursday 10th September 1998

Last Regular Appearance: 2.76 (#140)  Thursday 20th May 1999

Duration: EP: 68 - 140  |  SE: 2.4 – 2.76

Squad Number/Position: Youth Team / #25 (Defender) (1998-1999)

Last Seen: Dropped from the team in disgrace, storms away from Wembley leaving behind his upset mother.

Alex was a promising talent in Harchester United’s Academy, but was persistently in trouble with the law resulting in him spending a year away in a young offenders. By the beginning of the 1998-99 season, Alex was about to come out of the home without a place in football. Frank Patcham had been Alex’s coach, and had always had a soft spot for Denise, Alex's mom, so when she asked if he’d consider taking Alex on again, Frank decided to give Alex a new trial. Alex grabbed hold of this second chance, seemingly determined to prove he had changed his ways. Away from Frank and his mother however, Alex’s determination to succeed and ultimately take down anyone who stood in his way was as strong as ever.

Fellow youth teamer Hari Lal was unfortunate enough to come under Alex’s radar, and asking the right questions of Frank revealed to Alex how Hari's place in the team wasn’t his decision, but forced from a deal between Hari's father and Jerry Block. Alex used this information to his advantage, and made Hari his target with humiliating penalty shoot-outs and conducting his own 'Kangaroo Court' with a punishment of naked park running for Hari. Hari didn't feel cut out for the team and quit, with his pushy father Councillor Lal accusing the club of racism.

In the run up to the Boxing Day match against Charlton, several of the first team squad are ruled out with injuries, and having impressed during the first half of the season Alex received a promotion to the top. But during Christmas dinner with Frank and his mother, Alex learned his place was no more with the player he was due to replace passing a late fitness test. Alex bitterly blamed Frank, and spent the remainder of the day getting drunk at the hostel. A case of food poisoning was next to strike the squad before the game, and Alex narrowly got his chance back along with Billy O’Neill. The previous night’s events affected Alex though, and a poor performance saw him taken off, which became the moment Alex decided he would achieve his place in the first team without caring what he had to do to get it.

Alex’s next competition came in the form of Leon Richards, who playing in the same position as Alex, posed an almighty threat. When Leon collapses and is taken to hospital, tests find drugs in his system, and Leon protests he would not have taken them. The truth is Alex spiked Leon in order to improve his chances with Frank, who is temporarily in charge of the first team. It works, as Alex is made captain of the youth team and sees that the blame for the drugs is shifted on his so-called mate Adi Coleman, but Leon is well aware Alex was behind his spiking. In an attempt to shut Leon up, Alex gets involved with Leon's ex Clare, and mother to his baby son Clayton. Alex uses Clayton to threaten Leon, knowing the threat of doing harm to Clayton will mess with Leon and his game, and Leon takes Clayton away without telling anyone. Billy comes through for Leon and tells Denise what Alex had been doing, putting her on the way to seeing that her son was still a wrong ‘un.

Alex is all set to play in Harchester’s historic FA Cup Final, until Denise goes to Frank with what she’s learned about Alex threatening Leon. The ultimate karma hits Alex when he is dropped from the team for the final and replaced by Leon! After Luis tells Alex his actions have cost him his place in the squad, he knows he is finished at Harchester. With this, Alex holds Denise responsible for his downfall and disappears from Harchester, to be missed by no one.

Craig Robert Young Interview with Dream Team Diehard (June 2013)