A combative midfielder and full-back, Ali was a major and much admired player at Filbert Street between 1985 and 1992.
Signing for the Club in August 1985, he was a totally committed player, first as a midfielder and later as a right full-back, captain and coach. He had the respect of his team-mates, one of whom, Steve Walsh, said that he was as tough as they come, the sort of character you’d want next to you in the trenches and a big voice in the dressing room. Ali also had great rapport with the fans.
Born in Kilwinning in Ayrshire, he supported Glasgow Rangers as a youngster before signing for Kilmarnock in 1979. In 1982, Jock Wallace, who had recently resigned as Leicester City’s manager, signed him for Motherwell where he stayed until the summer of 1985.
At the time, Wallace, who was by now Glasgow Rangers’ manager, was keen to sign Mauchlen but in August 1985, Leicester City’s manager Gordon Milne took the opportunity to sign Ali together with Gary McAllister, his young Motherwell team-mate. Ali had great respect for Milne, crediting him with improving him as a player.
In 1987 Leicester City, then managed by Bryan Hamilton, were relegated to the Second Division and in December of that year, David Pleat became the Club’s manager. Ali credits Pleat with changing his career.
He made him really believe in himself and dilute the aggressive side of his game. He played the best football of his career under Pleat who moved him from midfield to right full-back where he performed with distinction for two years attracting the attention of Manchester City and Chelsea.
Graeme Souness, the Glasgow Rangers manager, also wanted to sign Ali but Gordon Lee, who became Leicester’s manager following the departure of Pleat in January 1991, wanted Ali to stay at Filbert Street. An admirer of his performances as a player and recognising his ability to motivate players, Lee made Ali team captain and put him on the coaching staff.
However, when Brian Little became the Foxes’ manager in May 1991, Ali wasn’t in his plans. He went on loan to Leeds United but ruptured his stomach which killed the deal. Leaving Filbert Street in July 1992, he later played for Heart of Midlothian, Glenavon and Ballymena before becoming a major figure as a player and a manager in local football.
He later captained the City veterans’ five-a-side team to win the National Masters Tournament in 2005 and for several years has hosted the Champions Club on matchday at King Power Stadium.