As a teenager, Alan loved football. In 1953, he enjoyed the FA Cup final between Blackpool FC and Bolton Wanderers a great deal, punching the air when Bill Perry scored the winning goal for Blackpool. He joked that Perry had wings on his feet, which was why he was called a winger. On 18 December of that year, he was devastated when his father disappeared, having been sent through the Rift. John bought him a football annual for Christmas but he was unable to give it to him as a result of his disappearance.