Age 30, Head Coach. Steadfast in his beliefs, when Dempsey says he's going to do something there is absolutely no question that he will do it. On the pitch moving from Stockport County to Wigan Athletic for a modest £700,000, Dempsey slowly established himself as a consistent reliable ball winner - a nascent midfield general in the making.

In 2003, as he was about to embark on what he hoped would be his best ever season, he was put out of the game forever. In a fateful pre season friendly, Crewe Alexandra's Liam Mackay launched himself at the Sheffield Wednesday midfielder: a tackle that ended Alex Dempsey's career as a professional footballer. Dempsey immersed himself in coaching, gaining every conceivable badge and becoming a student of the greatest tactical minds in the game. He has been out of football for two years. This man is a rock, with an inner strength born from facing adversity. He never runs if he can stay - his successful return as a coach to the game he loves, after his playing career was cut short, has proven that.

From the outset the players see this in him - a determination to see something through at whatever cost. He'll become one of the lads both professionally and personally very quickly. Even when faced once more with Liam Mackay - the player who ended his career - he'll carry on regardless. The more he's knocked down, the quicker and more strenuously he'll get up. Not even competition from the incredibly ambitious Ashleigh King can outwardly faze him - he's looking to the longer game.

Alex eventually finds some level ground with Liam, and though the pair commit to the fact they will never be friends again, they can at least work together for the sake of the club. However when Liam finds himself in some hot water and legal suit over tackle, Alex can’t help but look smug, especially when he grows closer to Liam’s wife Chloe and the pair end up in bed together. However Alex soon realises that his heart truly lies with Lynda Block.

Lynda discovers that Alex has been the recipient of a string of letters that he has been receiving anonymously for many years. Co-incidentally the letters are written in the same ink with the same handwriting as the letters Lynda has been receiving herself from Harchester United’s mystery owner.

Towards the end of Alex’s first season in charge of Harchester United the truth comes out over who the mystery owner of HUFC, Casper Rose. Alex is furious that Casper has been playing mind games and in a fit or rage hits Casper over the head with a bottle of ink which ultimately kills him.

It is later revealed that Alex shared the same father as Casper and Eugene and in Casper’s will the club is left to the two remaining brothers. Alex is racked with guilt over the murder which he and Lynda covered up. Lynda becomes the prime suspect in the murder investigation, and when she disappears in fear of going to jail for a second time Alex realises that he has to own up to his crime.

Statistics

First Appearance: Episode 9.02
Final Appearance: Episode 10.04

Season 9 Character Popularity: 2.64% (6th)

Filmography

Hollyoaks - (2006) TV Episode .... Warren Fox
Heartbeat - Miller's Tale (2005) TV Episode .... Craig Harker
Casualty - Baby Love (2005) TV Episode .... Nathan Simmonds
Yasmin (2004) .... Police officer

Last updated June 2006. For more up-to-date information, please visit IMDb.

Interviews

Exclusive: Jamie Lomas Interview - June 2006