[2] Alley appeared in 15 of South Melbourne 17 games in the 1902 VFL season.

[4] He transferred to Williamstown in the VFA in 1905 and played 160 games and kicked 20 goals up until when the First World War intervened in 1915.

In 1907, with regular captain Paddy Noonan having stood down, Alley captained Williamstown to an 18-point grand final victory over West Melbourne, in the Victorian Football Association.

[5] He also served as captain-coach for part of 1911 after Bert Amy resigned and as captain in 1915.

Alley, who made his living as an engineer, served overseas with the 3rd Pioneer Battalion during World War I.