1964 Goad, Alan
Birth Date
8th August 1948
Birthplace
Hailsham, Sussex
Occupation
Full-Back
Biographical Text
Alan Goad was a professional an Exeter City for eighteen months as a teenager in the mid-1960s but never played for the first-team. He left and signed for (the then) Hartlepools United for whom he made over 400 appearances.
Alan, from Sussex, signed as a professional for Exeter City as a seventeen-year-old in December 1965 after playing for the youth team as an apprentice. But, with a total of six full-backs now on the books, left-back Alan was unlikely to make the first-team any time soon especially when George Ley (just two years older) cemented his place in 1966/67. And when George didn't play either Cec Smyth or Jimmy Blain could switch positions and fill in.
Consequently Alan failed to make the first-team at all during 1966/67 and with other players ahead of him in the queue, even though Ley had departed for Portsmouth, signed for Hartlepools United where he promptly made his league debut as a nineteen-year-old against Brentford on 19 August 1967. Although he may have only made eleven league appearances during that first season, he went on to have 36 outings in the next - and then 44 - as he only dropped below thirty appearances once in nine seasons between 1968 and 1977.
In total Alan made 366 league appearances for Pools and another 43 in cup competitions. Meanwhile back at St James' Park Jimmy Blain, mainly featuring at left-back, was himself in the process of making 320 league appearances (plus another 37 in the cups).
Retiring in 1977, Alan was awarded a testimonial against Nottingham Forest managed by Brian Clough - who Alan had just missed at what was now Hartlepool rather than Hartlepools.
Alan, by now, had already moved into coaching and running a pub in Spennymoor but was soon to move to Canada to play indoor football for Vancouver Whitecaps alongside the likes of Bruce Grobbelaar, Terry Yorath, Peter Lorimer and Willie Johnston.
After finishing playing in 1982 Alan settled in British Columbia.
Alan, from Sussex, signed as a professional for Exeter City as a seventeen-year-old in December 1965 after playing for the youth team as an apprentice. But, with a total of six full-backs now on the books, left-back Alan was unlikely to make the first-team any time soon especially when George Ley (just two years older) cemented his place in 1966/67. And when George didn't play either Cec Smyth or Jimmy Blain could switch positions and fill in.
Consequently Alan failed to make the first-team at all during 1966/67 and with other players ahead of him in the queue, even though Ley had departed for Portsmouth, signed for Hartlepools United where he promptly made his league debut as a nineteen-year-old against Brentford on 19 August 1967. Although he may have only made eleven league appearances during that first season, he went on to have 36 outings in the next - and then 44 - as he only dropped below thirty appearances once in nine seasons between 1968 and 1977.
In total Alan made 366 league appearances for Pools and another 43 in cup competitions. Meanwhile back at St James' Park Jimmy Blain, mainly featuring at left-back, was himself in the process of making 320 league appearances (plus another 37 in the cups).
Retiring in 1977, Alan was awarded a testimonial against Nottingham Forest managed by Brian Clough - who Alan had just missed at what was now Hartlepool rather than Hartlepools.
Alan, by now, had already moved into coaching and running a pub in Spennymoor but was soon to move to Canada to play indoor football for Vancouver Whitecaps alongside the likes of Bruce Grobbelaar, Terry Yorath, Peter Lorimer and Willie Johnston.
After finishing playing in 1982 Alan settled in British Columbia.
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Comments
Dave Robinson
I remember Alan well he used to stand behind my goal when as a 17 year old I played in goal in the then Wednesday league .
Alan at the time played for the City Colts he suggested I could play for the Colts as they needed another keeper . Eventually I did
play for the colts in a game we won 10-1 their goal being a deflection from Alan sending me the wrong way . I remember him being a nice lad and glad he made it in the game .
Paul Farley
Dave can you contact us via the history group e-mail
historygroup@ecfc.co.uk