James McAlinden (27 December 1917 – 15 November 1993) was an Irish footballer who played as a forward for several clubs, most notably, Belfast Celtic, Portsmouth, Shamrock Rovers and Southend United. As an international, McAlinden also played for both Ireland teams – the IFA XI and the FAI XI. After retiring as a player, he went on to manage Glenavon, Distillery and Drogheda United.