
Brought up in Liverpool’s tough Kirkby district, Alan was a hard man and physically bigger and stronger than the majority of youths of his age. He joined City as a fifteen-year old and was in the team that unluckily lost to Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Youth Cup final in 1970. He was capped at Youth level for England and was one of three City players (Bobby Parker and Mick McGuire were the others) in the England team that won the European Championships or the Little World Cup, as it was then known. Although a centre-half for City he played at right back for England.
By the end of his first season Alan had displaced his old youth team colleague Parker and in 1973-74 season was a regular, building a strong central defensive partnership with another hard man John Craven. In a period when City rarely flirted with relegation Dugdale was a solid but unspectacular defender who never shirked a challenge and outplayed many of the top strikers of the era. He was short (around 5 ft 8) for a central defender but could hold his own in the air against the likes of Bob Latchford, Joe Jordan and Andy Gray.
In 1976-77 however with City sliding towards relegation Milne signed Jim Holton and Alan’s days were numbered. His final game that season saw him sent off for the one and only time in his City career. With City leading Aston Villa 2-1 his mistimed sliding tackle sent his old mate Dennis Mortimer sprawling. It looked worse than it was and was not malicious – Duggie had got away with hundreds of worse tackles in his career – but having already been booked he got his marching orders. City’s weakened defence could not survive a Villa onslaught and the arch enemy won the game 3-2.
He joined Second Division Charlton Athletic for £50,000. His career at the Valley was not very successful and he played less than 40 games for the Addicks and after a brief loan at Barnsley he joined Tulsa Roughnecks and was a regular for two seasons for the NASL club. His life since leaving Tulsa over twenty years ago is hazy. He was last heard of living in Bixby and had at some time worked for Coca Cola. Alan is the nephew of Jimmy Dugdale who played for West Brom and Aston Villa.
Red cards (1)
1976-77
16 April 1977 v Aston Villa H
Own goals (1)
1973-74
9 February 1974 v Newcastle United A








































































































































































































































































































































































































England Youth, 7 caps 1971