Alan joined Tooting & Mitcham in 1972 having previously played for Aveley, Grays Athletic and Dartford where he played mainly as a forward.
Tooting Manager Roy Dwight however moved him to full-back and he stayed in that position playing with great distinction where he liked to get forward and scored many important goals for the Terrors. One of those strikes against Oxford City in December 1972 was hit so powerfully it became trapped in the stanchion.
Alan played in our classic FA Cup ties against the likes of Crystal Palace, Swindon Town and Bradford City (which was a 4th Round Proper tie). He would collect Surrey Senior Cup Winners medals against Sutton United and Croydon, plus the Surrey Combination Cup which was lifted when Hampton were defeated. He played in our record 9-0 Isthmian League victory over Clapton in May 1975 scoring in the process the team would finish 4th behind the top three of the time Wycombe Wanderers, Enfield and Dagenham, our best position in the top flight for many seasons.
Alan also represented Essex, Kent and Surrey on numerous occasions. Alan was famously left behind after our FA Cup tie at Swindon Town in January 1976.
He would retire from football in 1979 after several injury problems but was awarded a Testimonial against Brentford which took place in May 1980. He played over 300 games for the club, scoring 31 goals and paid us a visit at a reunion in 2025.
Article written by Ian Bullock TMUFC Members Club Vice President
