Alex Raisbeck was born in Wallacestone by Polmont, his mother's home village, the son of a miner from Monkland. The family then stayed at Slamannan before moving from pit to pit first to Blantyre/Cambuslang and finally to Larkhall. It is therefore probable that he learned his first football in the former before it was honed in the latter. Certainly he initially came to junior prominence at Larkhall Thistle and the equally town-club, Royal Albert. That was before from just seventeen years old he was recruited to and spent two seasons with Hibernian in the First Division, playing up to half its games as it finished second and third respectively. 

On Raisbeck arriving Liverpool had just finished mid-table in the English First Division and Matt McQueen was about to have a final season at the club, with three appearances in goal. By the end of his first season the new boy had made thirty-eight starts and the Anfield club was runner-up. Then the following campaign it stumbled a little, finishing tenth but Alex still made thirty-six appearances, was made captain and with thirty-three starts led the club in 1901 to it first league title, to relegation in 1904, immediate re-promotion and a second league win in 1906 . 

Meantime, again in 1901 Alex had returned to Larkhall to marry. His bride was Elizabeth Stewart from Dalserf. They were to have twelve children, of whom ten seemed to have survived with four born in England but eight in Scotland, seven in Larkhall, two prior to 1904, five after 1909 when at thirty he returned North to be player-manager at Partick Thistle. It had just finished bottom of the First Division but had not been relegated yet, by the time he at thirty-five hung up his boots, it had been fourth, fifth and was safely mid-table.