I live just outside Cambridge and I’m a systems engineer by profession. I learned to play bridge when I was at school in Essex at the age of 15. A few people were playing in the canteen (under the tutelage of future Lady Milne winner Audrey Hartley!), I was curious and got hooked. I did manage to win the England Junior trials in 1998 with Ed Sheldon and then was part of the side that won the Junior Camrose, but I only ever played a few friendlies for England and never made it to a Junior Euros. Apart from Ed, I partnered Catherine Jagger while I was a member of the U26 squad.
As my junior career was winding down I began to get involved with coaching the next generation. I was aware that they responded better to someone who was their age. Being a current international I was also able to get over the ‘uncool’ image that the game often has. Initially I was mostly involved as a local youth officer in and around Bedfordshire, but gradually became more involved with the U21s around 2003 while Mel Starkings was running the squad. I’d also started teaching at the annual Junior Camp and I’ve now been there every year since 2000!
When Mel opted to give up running the U21 squad in 2006 I was asked to take over. I didn’t have the time to run it full-time myself, but I did know of someone who was perfect for the job and so I recommended some little-known player by the name of Michael Byrne. I continued to work with him, and we had some success with the group gaining silver medals at the World Championships in Beijing and Philadelphia in 2008 and 2010.
Then in 2015 the opportunity came to take on the U26 squad leaders job. We managed 4th place in Tromso 2015, the best result since the 1994 team won the event (as GB) but didn’t have a great World Championships the following year. However, we bounced back with an excellent 6th in Bratislava as all 4 England sides qualified for the next World event. With the arrival in February 2017 of my first child, I didn’t have the time required to do the job properly anymore so I resigned that post and instead helped the U16 squad in an assistant capacity to Giorgio Provenza.
With a young family I don’t get to play competitively right now, but fortunately the internet has enabled me to continue with the squad and since Giorgio left I’ve continued to run and coach the group. Since I’ve been with them we have won medals at the last three Junior European championships and with entirely different teams each time. For me, the U16s is the place where I feel I can make the biggest difference to the players and I love the energy I get from them all.
A number of years ago, I developed the Junior Award Scheme that has proved very popular with pupils and teachers alike and in 2016 received the Tom Bradley award for my contributions to Junior Bridge. I’ve also completed a degree in Sport Science which has given me a lot of insights and has informed my junior coaching and the development of the England junior structure as a whole. There’s a lot more ideas to come!
Away from the bridge table my major interests are DJing (I’m a massive student of house/electronic music and its culture), cycling and watching most sports, although most of my time gets taken up with my two young boys. However, now they’re both at school, I’ve convinced the headmaster to let me try to start a club!
Last updated: November 2024
Editor's note: In 2015 Alan developed the Junior Award Scheme with Simon Barb of English Bridge Education and Development, and this was launched in the autumn of that year. This enables youngsters to reach different achievement levels as they progress through their bridge development. In recognition of his contribution to junior bridge, Alan received the 2015 Tom Bradley Award, which was presented at the 2016 Summer Meeting.
Junior Camrose Selections: 1999
EBU Awards: Silver Award 2024