Alan Fagan

*Indicates unconfirmed information. Figures in brackets after English team names indicate all appearances made and goals scored in competitive matches for Football League clubs from 1888 onwards. For Scottish League clubs the figures show details of all competitive appearances and goals scored from 1946/47 onwards.

Alan Fagan

Appearances: 179+7 Goals: 8

Date / Year of birth: 12th November 1949

Position: Defender / Midfielder

Season of first appearance: 1977/78

Season of last appearance: 1983/84

Also played for: Beauwater, Charlton Athletic (0), Oxford United (0), Gillingham (0), Grays Athletic, Gravesend & Northfleet, Folkestone & Shepway, Folkestone Town and Sittingbourne

5' 5" tall, burly Chatham-born player who started his career with Kent amateur club Beauwater. Alan then joined Charlton and played in the FA Youth Cup Final for them, he also scored a hat-trick for Charlton's Colts side in a game against Bexley United during 1965/66.

He later had spells with Oxford United (including 1968/69) and then Gillingham where he made two substitute appearances for the reserves during the 1969/70 season.

After leaving the Gills Alan joined Grays and he also played for Thameside in the North Kent Sunday League. He featured in the league's representative side during the 1971/72 campaign.

In 1974 Alan signed for Gravesend & Northfleet and made two first team appearances for the Fleet during 1974/75 but he didn't appear in the senior side again until 1977/78 when he made eight appearances (one as sub) without scoring. During his time with the club Alan also played for Sun in the North Kent Sunday League and helped them to win the league title during 1976/77.

In December 1977 Alan joined Margate from Gravesend and made his debut in a 7-1 win over Trowbridge at Hartsdown Park on 17.12.77. He played in a defensive midfield / sweeper role and according to the Thanet Times put in "an impressive showing". Alan continued in that position for the remainder of the 1977/78 season and made 24 appearances (one as sub) without scoring as Margate won the Southern League 1st Division (South) title. He turned in numerous notable performances and the local press said that he was "outstanding" in a 3-0 win over Taunton on 14.1.78 and "man of the match by a mile" in a 2-1 win at Chelmsford on 25.2.78. Alan was also described as being "uncompromising" and "a veritable beaver for work".

During the 1978/79 campaign Alan played in 55 of Margate's 58 games and he was described as being "an ebullient midfield dynamo" by the Isle of Thanet Gazette. He sometimes captained the side when Dave Crush was absent.

He became the club's permanent captain for start of the 1979/80 season and on 21.8.79 he scored his first goal for the club in a 2-0 win at Crawley. Alan went on to score three more goals, including a direct free-kick in a 4-1 win over Bromley on 15.9.79. Despite his appearances being restricted by a nagging groin injury Alan played 27 times (twice as a substitute) up to February 1980. However he then moved to Folkestone & Shepway in a straight swap for Ray Summers.

Alan spent the 1980/81 season with Folkestone (by then known as Folkestone Town) and then moved on to Sittingbourne before drifting into Sunday football.

However in October 1981 he returned to Hartsdown to play for Thanet United and made the first appearance of his comeback in a 4-0 defeat at Chelmsford on 19.10.81. Soon afterwards Alan had to serve a ten week suspension as a result of being sent off in two consecutive matches for his Sunday League team prior to joining United. He returned to the side in January 1982 and manager Terry Morris said "I am delighted to have him back in the midfield. His presence improves the side by about 30 percent." Morris also said "his know-how and enthusiasm make a great deal of difference to us." Alan went on to make a total of 26 appearances before the end of the 1981/82 season and often played in a sweeper role. He scored once, with a chip from fully 50 yards in a 3-0 win over Folkestone on 10.4.82. This prompted the Thanet Times to dub him 'Alan 'Pele' Fagan'. Despite only playing for half a season, Alan's performances were so impressive that he won the club's 'Player of the Year' award but Thanet finished bottom of the Southern League Southern Division.

He continued to be a fixture in the United side during the 1982/83 campaign and made 39 appearances (three as sub). Alan scored twice and again usually played as a sweeper but also featured in midfield. He was the club's captain and the Thanet Times described Alan as being "dynamic" and "a resolute pillar in defence". In December 1982 he was appointed as caretaker manager Peter Donnelly's assistant following Terry Morris' resignation. Alan was give the role to prepare him for taking over as player-manager for the 1983/84 season and he also took sole charge of the side on two occasions during 1982/83.

Alan officially became United's player-manager in the summer of 1983 and he featured regularly in midfield or defence during the opening months of the 1983/84 season. On 10.9.83 he scored with a direct free-kick in a 2-2 draw at Dover but things didn't work out for Alan as player-manager. In November 1983 he resigned from the job due to work commitments. Alan had been working as a scaffold-rigger at Northfleet power station but then transferred to another plant in Essex. At the time of his resignation Thanet had only won once in the Southern League. Alan initially stayed on as a player only after the appointment of John Wickens as United's new manager and played twice under Wickens, taking his tally for the season to 15 appearances (one as sub), before leaving Hartsdown altogether in December 1983. His final appearance came in a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Erith & Belvedere on 3.12.83, nearly six years after his debut for Margate. At the time of Alan's departure manager Wickens said "he's a good experienced player and I have a lot of respect for him."

A player profile in a 1978/79 season programme revealed that Alan's hobbies were snooker and gardening, his favourite TV programme was 'The Old Grey Whistle Test' and his favourite player was Tony Currie.

His brother Steve also played for Thanet United and in 2011 Alan was living in Gravesend.

SEASON (CLUB)

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1977/78 (MFC)

23 (47)

1

0

SOUTHERN LEAGUE FIRST DIVISION (S) (1ST OF 20)

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1R

1R

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GR

     Margate promoted to Southern League Premier Division.

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1978/79 (MFC)

55 (58)

0

0

SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (19TH OF 22)

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     Margate moved to new Southern League Southern Division following reorganisation of Southern League.

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1979/80 (MFC)

25 (56)

2

4

SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (17TH OF 24)

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1981/82 (TUFC)

26 (53)

0

1

SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (24TH OF 24)

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     Finished bottom but not relegated.

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1982/83 (TUFC)

36 (44)

3

2

SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (14TH OF 18)

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1983/84 (TUFC)

14 (49)

1

1

SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (18TH OF 20)

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