| Alan Woan | |
| Fullname: | Alan Esplin Woan[1] |
| Birth Date: | 8 February 1931 |
| Birth Place: | Liverpool, England |
| Position: | Inside forward |
| Youthyears1: | ?–? |
| Youthclubs1: | Bootle |
| Youthyears2: | ?–1953 |
| Youthclubs2: | New Brighton |
| Years1: | 1953–1956 |
| Clubs1: | Norwich City |
| Caps1: | 21 |
| Goals1: | 7 |
| Years2: | 1956–1959 |
| Clubs2: | Northampton Town |
| Caps2: | 119 |
| Goals2: | 68 |
| Years3: | 1959–1961 |
| Clubs3: | Crystal Palace |
| Caps3: | 41 |
| Goals3: | 21 |
| Years4: | 1961–1964 |
| Clubs4: | Aldershot |
| Caps4: | 108 |
| Goals4: | 44 |
| Years5: | 1964–? |
| Clubs5: | Chertsey Town |
| Caps5: | ? |
| Goals5: | ? |
| Totalcaps: | 289 + |
| Totalgoals: | 140 + |
Alan Woan (8 February 1931 – 13 February 2021)[2] [3] was an English professional footballer who played as an inside forward. He made a total of 289 Football League appearances for Norwich City, Northampton Town, Crystal Palace and Aldershot scoring 140 goals. He also played non-league football for New Brighton and Chertsey Town. He was the father of Ian Woan who also played professional football, most notably for Nottingham Forest[4] and Alan Junior, who played for Stalybridge Celtic.[5]
Woan began his career in non-league football, playing for Anfield Road School, Bootle and later New Brighton. In 1953, Woan signed for Norwich City.[1] He scored three minutes into his debut appearance for Norwich City against Northampton Town.[6] Over the next three seasons, Woan made 21 League appearances (seven goals) for Norwich, and 43 times in 77 matches for Norwich City Reserves.[6] In 1956, he moved on to Northampton Town.[1] In his time at Northampton, he scored 68 goals in 118 appearances. However, in October 1959,[1] he was signed by Crystal Palace in exchange for Mike Deakin.[7] He made his Palace debut on 31 October in an away 2–0 win against Gateshead,[8] and between then and February 1961,[1] made 46 appearances, in all competitions, scoring 23 goals.[3] He then moved again, to Aldershot where he made 108 appearances over the next three years, scoring 44 goals, before moving into non-league football with Chertsey Town.[3]
After retirement, Woan worked with youth players at Tranmere Rovers and subsequently in local government on the Wirral.[9]
Woan was born in Liverpool, England.[1] [6] His brother Don and his son Ian were both professional footballers.
Woan died from COVID-19 in 2021.[10]