 Woolfall on a family holiday to Ibiza in 2002. | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alan Francis Woolfall[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 30 November 1956[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Liverpool, England[1] | ||
| Date of death | 20 April 2023 (aged 66)[2] | ||
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)[3] | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Skelmersdale United | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1974–1979 | Bury | 57 | (11) |
| 1979–1981 | Port Vale | 18 | (3) |
| Marine | |||
| Total | 75+ | (14+) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Alan Francis Woolfall (30 November 1956 – 20 April 2023) was an English footballer who played as a forward. He scored fourteen goals in 75 league games in a seven-year career in the Football League. He turned out for Bury and Port Vale, as well as non-League sides Skelmersdale United and Marine.
Career
Bury
Woolfall played for Skelmersdale United before joining Bury, who finished 14th in the Third Division in 1974–75 under the stewardship of Bobby Smith. The "Shakers" finished 13th in 1975–76, before missing out on the promotion places by four places and five points in 1976–77. After Bob Stokoe took charge at Gigg Lane, Bury dropped to 15th in 1977–78 and 19th in 1978–79.
Port Vale
Woolfall joined Port Vale in August 1979.[1] He scored on both his league and League Cup débuts, but failed to gain a regular spot in a team struggling near the bottom of the Fourth Division.[1] In all he made seven league and three cup appearances in 1979–80, and scored three goals (at Walsall, Northampton Town, and Tranmere Rovers).[1] Manager John McGrath used him eleven times in 1980–81, and Woolfall found the net once against Halifax Town.[1] In all he made 21 appearances and scored four goals (all away from Vale Park) during a two-season spell, before he was given a free transfer to Northern Premier League side Marine in May 1981.[1]
Career statistics
Source:[4]
| Club | Season | Division | League | FA Cup | Other | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Bury | 1974–75 | Third Division | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1975–76 | Third Division | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 2 | |
| 1976–77 | Third Division | 28 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 34 | 9 | |
| 1977–78 | Third Division | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 3 | |
| 1978–79 | Third Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 57 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 68 | 14 | ||
| Port Vale | 1979–80 | Fourth Division | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 3 |
| 1980–81 | Fourth Division | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 | |
| Total | 18 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 21 | 4 | ||
| Career total | 75 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 89 | 18 | ||
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 316. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
- ↑ @GordonSorfleet (21 April 2023). "Very sad to hear that Alan Woolfall has passed away, a top player and the very mention of his name makes me smile. Rest in Peace Alan, deepest condolences to the family #buryfc" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ↑ Rollin, Jack (1980). Rothmans football yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 299. ISBN 0362020175. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- ↑ Alan Woolfall at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)