After spending his youth career at Annan Athletic, Alexander signed for Dumfries club Queen of the South at the start of the 1978–79 season, where he remained for five years.
Whilst at Palmerston Park, Alexander won promotion from the third to second tier of Scottish football at the end of the 1980–81 season, as the Doonhamers finished runners-up to the Spiders in the SFL Second Division.
Queens had players such as Allan Ball, Iain McChesney, Crawford Boyd and Jimmy Robertson playing for the club at this time.
[6] Throughout his nine years with Morton, Alexander commuted from his home in Dumfries, combining his part-time football career with primary employment, including as a pig farmer and insurance salesman.
Alexander was then appointed as Mike McCartney's replacement as player-manager of Gretna in November 2000, with the Anvils playing in non-league football in England.
Following Gretna's take over by multi-millionaire Brooks Mileson, Alexander steered the club to the Scottish Third Division title in the 2004–05 season with a record-breaking total of 98 points.
Following Gretna's success in the 2005–06 season, Alexander signed a new five-year contract with the club and stated his intention to remain with the Anvils for the remainder of his career.
Alexander turned up for Gretna's first league match in the top tier of Scottish football Fir Park, the home of Motherwell on 4 August 2007 and was then refused entry to the main stand.