Alfie Hales is currently 10th on the list of all-time leading League of Ireland goalscorers with 153 goals and it could have been more had he not departed and spent six years playing in England at Aston Villa and Doncaster Rovers.

He represented a number of clubs in the League of Ireland but it was during his time with Waterford that he enjoyed his most success.

He helped the club win five leagues in six seasons between 1968 and 1973, the most dramatic of those title triumphs coming when his injury-time winner helped the Blues come back from 2-0 down to beat Cork Hibernians 3-2 in the final game of the 1972 season in front of a huge crowd at Flower Lodge.

After retiring as a player, Hale managed several teams in the League of Ireland, most notably, Cork Celtic, Waterford United, and Kilkenny City.

Hale made 14 appearances and scored 2 goals for the Republic of Ireland national football team.

He made his senior international debut on 8 April 1962 in a 3–2 home defeat against Austria. Hale went on to score twice for the Republic of Ireland, both goals coming in 1968, against Poland and then Austria.