Alan Combe

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Alan Combe

| image = Alan Combe.png

| caption = Alan Combe in 2024

| fullname = Alan Combe{{Hugman|3884|accessdate=13 March 2017}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|4|3|df=y}}

| birth_place = Edinburgh, Scotland

| height =

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Kelty Hearts

| years1 = 1992–1993

| years2 = 1993–1998

| years3 = 1998–2003

| years4 = 2002

| years5 = 2003–2004

| years6 = 2004–2011

| years7 = 2011

| years8 = 2011

| years9 = 2012

| years10 = 2012–2014

| years11 = 2014–2015

| clubs1 = Cowdenbeath

| clubs2 = St Mirren

| clubs3 = Dundee United

| clubs4 = → Bradford City (loan)

| clubs5 = Bradford City

| clubs6 = Kilmarnock

| clubs7 = Clyde (trial)

| clubs8 = Hamilton Academical (trial)

| clubs9 = Greenock Morton

| clubs10 = Heart of Midlothian

| clubs11 = Hibernian

| caps1 = 18

| goals1 = 0

| caps2 = 124

| goals2 = 0

| caps3 = 73

| goals3 = 0

| caps4 = 16

| goals4 = 0

| caps5 = 21

| goals5 = 0

| caps6 = 149

| goals6 = 0

| caps7 = 1

| goals7 = 0

| caps8 = 1

| goals8 = 0

| caps9 = 10

| goals9 = 0

| caps10 = 0

| goals10 = 0

| caps11 = 0

| goals11 = 0

| totalcaps = 413

| totalgoals = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2005

| nationalteam1 = Scotland B

| nationalcaps1 = 1

| nationalgoals1 = 0

}}

Alan Combe (born 3 April 1974) is a Scottish football coach and former player who is goalkeeping coach. He played as a goalkeeper for Cowdenbeath, St Mirren, Dundee United, Bradford City and Kilmarnock. He has previously worked as a goalkeeping coach for Alloa Athletic, Heart of Midlothian, Hibernian, Cove Rangers and Dundee.

Club career

Combe was born in Edinburgh. He was Kilmarnock's regular goalkeeper until he suffered a serious hip injury early in the 2009–10 season.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/k/kilmarnock/8212823.stm |title=Killie to lose Combe for 10 weeks |work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|date=1 September 2009|accessdate=18 August 2011}} He was released by Kilmarnock on 31 January 2011.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/k/kilmarnock/9382029.stm |title=Danny Invincibile & Alan Combe released by Kilmarnock|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|date=31 January 2011|accessdate=18 August 2011}}

File:Alan combe killie v morton.jpg]]

Combe joined Alloa Athletic in August 2011 as a goalkeeping coach.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14581385.stm|title=Alan Combe joins Alloa as goalkeeping coach|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|date=18 August 2011|accessdate=18 August 2011}} In November 2011, Combe played for Clyde against Annan Athletic and kept a clean sheet.{{cite web|title=Clyde 0–0 Annan Athletic|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/15701146.stm|publisher=BBC|accessdate=27 December 2011|date=12 November 2011}} He went on trial with Hamilton Academical in December 2011, making his debut on 27 December 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.acciesfc.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1707:accies-0-livingston-1&catid=77:season-2011-12 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120719071946/http://www.acciesfc.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1707:accies-0-livingston-1&catid=77:season-2011-12 |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 July 2012 |title=Accies 0 Livingston 1 |publisher=Hamilton Academical F.C. }}

In March 2012, Combe signed a deal with Greenock Morton{{cite news|url=http://www.gmfc.net/News/&action=fullnews&id=668 |title=New signing |publisher=Greenock Morton F.C. |date=13 February 2012 |accessdate=13 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140724085944/http://www.gmfc.net/News/%26action%3Dfullnews%26id%3D668 |archive-date=24 July 2014}} that was due to run until the end of the 2012–13 season. He left Morton in September 2012 to Join Hearts, primarily as a goalkeeping coach. Combe retained his playing registration during spells with Hearts and Hibernian, but did not appear in a first team match for either club.

International career

Combe was named in the senior Scotland squad on a few occasions but was not capped. Combe did however appear for the Scotland B team in 2005, playing in the second half of a 2–0 victory against Poland B.

Coaching career

While playing for Morton, Combe worked as a goalkeeping coach at Alloa Athletic.{{cite news|url=http://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/sport/morton/articles/2012/05/28/429606-ton-keeper-to-continue-coaching/|title=Ton keeper to continue coaching|publisher=Greenock Telegraph|date=28 May 2012|accessdate=29 May 2012|first=Jonathan|last=Mitchell}} Combe was released from his contract with Morton in 2012 to become a goalkeeping coach at Hearts, although he retained his playing registration in case of emergency.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19467933|title=Hearts: Alan Combe becomes keeper coach after Morton exit|publisher=BBC Sport|date=3 September 2012|accessdate=3 September 2012}}{{cite news|url=http://gmfc.net/News/&action=fullnews&id=746 |title=Player News – Alan Combe |publisher=Greenock Morton F.C. |date=1 September 2012 |accessdate=1 September 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140724090928/http://gmfc.net/News/%26action%3Dfullnews%26id%3D746 |archive-date=24 July 2014}} After being released by Hearts in 2014, in July Combe joined boyhood club Hibernian as a player-coach.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28350562 |title=Hibernian bring in Andy Holden as new assistant coach |work=BBC Sport |date=17 July 2014 |publisher=BBC }} He left Hibernian during the 2020 close season.{{cite web |url=https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/sport/football/hibs-sunderland-goalkeeping-coach-samson-18425098 |title=Hibs hoping to add new goalkeeping coach as Jack Ross looks to recruit former member of Sunderland backroom staff |first=James |last=Delaney |website=Edinburgh Live |date=15 June 2020 |accessdate=2 August 2020}} Combe joined Cove Rangers as a goalkeeping coach in September 2020.{{cite news |url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/former-hibs-coach-alan-combe-gets-new-role-cove-rangers-2978517 |title=Former Hibs coach Alan Combe gets new role with Cove Rangers |first=Craig |last=Fowler |newspaper=Edinburgh Evening News |date=21 September 2020 |accessdate=21 September 2020}} In July 2021, Combe was announced as the new goalkeeping coach for Dundee, following the departure of Bobby Geddes.{{Cite web|date=2 July 2021|title=Alan Combe joins coaching staff|url=https://dundeefc.co.uk/news/alan-combe-joins-coaching-staff/|url-status=live|access-date=2 July 2021|website=dundeefc.co.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210702140219/https://dundeefc.co.uk/news/alan-combe-joins-coaching-staff/ |archive-date=2 July 2021 }} Combe remained in the post for 4 years under several different managers, before being relieved of his duties in May 2025.{{Cite web |date=2025-05-19 |title=Club Statement: Management Team Update |url=https://dundeefc.co.uk/news/club-statement-19may2025/ |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=Dundee Football Club - Official Website |language=en-US}}

Personal life

Combe is the great nephew of Bobby Combe, who played for Hibs and Scotland in the 1940s and 1950s.{{cite web |url=http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/8372 |title=ALAN COMBE ON HIS GREAT UNCLE AND THE SCOTTISH CUP WIN |publisher=Hibernian FC |date=29 January 2018 |accessdate=29 January 2018}}

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|National cup{{efn\|Includes Scottish Cup, FA Cup}} !colspan="2"\|League cup{{efn\|Includes Scottish League Cup, Football League Cup}} !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Cowdenbeath \|1992–93 \|Scottish First Division \|18	0					18	0
rowspan="6"\|St Mirren \|1993–94 \|rowspan="5"\|Scottish First Division \|16	0					16	0
1994–95 \|21	0					21	0
1995–96 \|21	0					21	0
1996–97 \|36	0			2	0	38	0
1997–98 \|30	0	1	0	2	0	33	0
colspan="2"\|Total !124	0	1	0	4	0	129	0
rowspan="5"\|Dundee United \|1998–99 \|rowspan="4"\|Scottish Premier League \|10	0	colspan="2"\|–	colspan="2"\|–	10	0
1999–2000 \|35	0	4	0	4	0	43	0
2000–01 \|23	0	colspan="2"\|–	3	0	26	0
2002–03 \|5	0	colspan="2"\|–	1	0	6	0
colspan="2"\|TOtal !73	0	4	0	8	0	85	0
Bradford City (loan) \|2001–02 \|Football League First Division \|16	0	colspan="2"\|–	colspan="2"\|–	16	0
Bradford City \|2003–04 \|Football League First Division \|21	0	1	0	colspan="2"\|–	22	0
rowspan="6"\|Kilmarnock \|2004–05 \|rowspan="5"\|Scottish Premier League \|32	0	3	0	2	0	37	0
2005–06 \|32	0	1	0	2	0	35	0
2006–07 \|11	0	0	0	2	0	13	0
2007–08 \|37	0	1	0	2	0	40	0
2008–09 \|34	0	2	0	3	0	39	0
colspan="2"\|Total !146	0	7	0	11	0	164	0
colspan="3"\|Career total !398	0	13	0	23	0	434	0

Notes

References

External links

{{Soccerbase}}