Alan Julian

Julian joined Brentford aged nine, following a successful trial.[3] While also playing for Sunbury Manor and Sunbury Casuals,[4] he progressed through the various youth ranks and eventually signed his first professional contract in 2002.[3] He made his debut for the club in the Brentford's 1–0 victory over Plymouth Argyle in the Football League Trophy on 12 November 2002.[5] During the match, Julian was "forced into numerous good saves. His best stop came in the 21st minute when he managed to claw away a stinging drive from Hasney Aljofree and moments later he also denied Blair Sturrock with a low block".[6] He made a further three appearances during the 2002–03 season, keeping a clean sheet in a 1–0 win over Mansfield Town.[5] At the end of the season, Julian signed a new contract with Brentford, keeping him contracted to the club until 2005.[7] He made 14 appearances for Brentford during the 2003–04 season.[8] Julian left Brentford in February 2005,[9] claiming "the time had come" for him to experience first-team football on a regular basis.[3][10]

He signed for Stevenage Borough on a free transfer on 4 February 2005,[11] making his debut in Stevenage's 1–0 win over Scarborough.[12] Julian kept seven clean sheets for Stevenage in 17 appearances during the second half of the club's 2004–05 campaign, including in a 1–0 victory against Hereford United at Edgar Street in the play-off semi-final second leg – a win that meant Stevenage were one game away from reaching the Football League for the first time in their history.[12][13] He played in the play-off final against Carlisle United at the Britannia Stadium, which Stevenage lost 1–0.[12] He remained at Stevenage during the 2005–06 season, "attracting interest from scouts" as a result of Stevenage's strong start to the season.[12][14][15] Stevenage kept 12 clean sheets during the season, although failed to make the play-offs following a 2–0 defeat at Forest Green Rovers,[12] finishing sixth.[16] Julian made 45 appearances for Stevenage during the campaign and was voted 'Supporters Association Player of the Year'.[12][17]

At the end of the 2005–06 season, Graham Westley, the man that had brought Julian to Stevenage, left the club and was replaced by Mark Stimson.[18][19] Stimson signed goalkeeper Danny Potter and stated that Potter would be the club's first choice goalkeeper.[20] Julian was subsequently an unused substitute for Stevenage's first two games of the season.[21] However, after Potter was sent-off in Stevenage's home game against Crawley Town, Julian made his first appearance of the season, coming on as a 63rd-minute substitute in a 3–2 defeat.[22] Julian remained first choice goalkeeper from then onwards, making 53 appearances for the club during the 2006–07 season as Stevenage finished eighth in the Conference National.[12][23] Eight of Julian's appearances during the season came in the club's successful FA Trophy campaign, keeping four clean sheets in the process.[12] He also made a number vital saves in the club's semi-final second leg against Grays Athletic, which Stevenage went on to win by a 3–1 aggregate scoreline.[24] Julian started in the Final, which Stevenage won 3–2 against Kidderminster Harriers at Wembley Stadium in front of a crowd of 53,262.[25] The win meant that Julian was part of the first team to win a competitive final at the new stadium.[25]

Julian remained at Stevenage for a fourth consecutive season, starting in the club's first game of the 2007–08 season, a 2–1 defeat at Crawley Town.[12] He kept his first clean sheet of the season in Stevenage's 3–0 home win against Weymouth.[12] This served as the catalyst for a run of eight games without conceding a goal, equalling a Conference National record when they beat Farsley Celtic 4–0 at Broadhall Way.[26] Julian went a total of 778 minutes without conceding a goal.[12] After manager Mark Stimson left Stevenage to join Gillingham,[27] Julian refused to sign a new contract, stating he wanted to "keep his options open for the summer".[28] As a result, he was transfer-listed in January 2008.[28] Despite being on the transfer-list, Julian remained first choice goalkeeper under new manager Peter Taylor until Stevenage's 3–1 home defeat to Torquay United on 12 April 2008, his final appearance of the season.[12] He made 44 appearances during the 2007–08 season.[12] During his three and a half-year tenure at Stevenage, Julian made a total of 159 appearances in all competitions.[12]

Julian joined Gillingham on a free transfer on 21 May 2008, joining up with former Stevenage manager Mark Stimson.[29] He made his debut for Gillingham in the club's League Cup first round 1–0 home defeat against Colchester United on 12 August 2008.[30] Four days later, Julian made his first league start for Gillingham, playing the whole match in a 1–0 home loss to Luton Town.[30] He did not make another first-team appearance until November 2008, when he kept a clean sheet in a 1–0 away win at Macclesfield Town.[30] A week later, he kept another clean sheet as Gillingham beat Bury 1–0 at Gigg Lane in the FA Cup.[30] After six weeks without a first-team appearance, Julian played in Gillingham's 2–0 away loss at Dagenham & Redbridge.[30] His next first-team appearance was five months later, playing in a 1–0 away victory at Rochdale, with Gillingham having already secured a play-off place.[30] It was Julian's last appearance of the 2008–09 campaign as Gillingham secured promotion back to League One after a 1–0 play-off Final win against Shrewsbury Town.[30][31] He made six appearances during his first season with the club, keeping three clean sheets.[30]

Ahead of the 2009–10 campaign, manager Mark Stimson admitted he was undecided as to whether Julian or Simon Royce would start in the club's opening fixture of the season.[32] Julian ultimately started in the club's 5–0 home win against Swindon Town on the first day of the season.[33] After three straight defeats in the space of a week with Gillingham conceding seven goals,[33] Julian was replaced by Royce ahead of the club's League Cup game against Blackburn Rovers.[34] After the game, Julian only featured twice in the space of four months, both appearances coming in Football League Trophy fixtures.[33] Julian handed in a transfer request in November 2009 as a result of a lack of first-team appearances.[35][36] However, Gillingham received no offers for the player, with manager Mark Stimson saying "I haven't had a phone call. He's been on the loan circuit for four to six weeks and I haven't had a call. You don't just say I'm on the transfer list and six teams come in for you".[35] He remained at Gillingham and after appearing in Gillingham's 2–1 away loss at Huddersfield Town in December 2009, Julian remained as a first choice goalkeeper until the end of the season.[29][33] The club went the whole season without an away victory and were relegated back to League Two on the final day of the season following a 3–0 defeat to Wycombe Wanderers.[37][38] Julian made 33 appearances during the 2009–10 season, keeping eight clean sheets.[33]

Under the new management of Andy Hessenthaler,[39] Julian started the 2010–11 season as first choice goalkeeper, starting in the club's first game of the season, a 1–1 draw with Cheltenham Town on 7 August 2010.[40] However, similarly to the 2009–10 season, Julian lost his first-team place after a winless run at the start of the campaign.[40] New signing Lance Cronin impressed in an away draw against Morecambe,[41] and kept Julian out of the first-team for five weeks.[42][43] After Gillingham's 7–4 away loss at Accrington Stanley,[44] Julian regained his first-team place, playing in a 2–1 home win against Stockport County on 9 October 2010.[40] Julian was part of the side that ended Gillingham's 35 game winless away streak when they won 1–0 against Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium on 20 November 2010, making a number of key saves during the game.[45] He remained as first choice goalkeeper throughout the season as Gillingham finished in eighth position in League Two,[40] narrowly missing out on a play-off place after losing three out of their last four games.[46] Julian made 41 appearances for Gillingham in all competitions during the 2010–11 season, keeping 12 clean sheets.[40] Despite being the club's first choice goalkeeper during the campaign, Julian was told that he no longer featured in the club's plans,[10] and was subsequently released on 11 May 2011.[47] He made 80 appearances in all competitions for Gillingham during the three years he spent at the club.[48]

In June 2011, Julian re-joined his former club, now renamed Stevenage, on a free transfer, three years after leaving the club.[49][50] The move meant that Julian would be playing under the management of Graham Westley once more, who first brought Julian to Stevenage in 2005 – Westley said "Alan sees the opportunity in the long term and we all know how much quality he will bring into the squad. He is a different type of character but another man that you would happily go into the trenches with".[49] On signing for Stevenage, Julian said "I had a great time at Stevenage before and coming back now and we are in League One, it is a dream come true".[51] As a result of Chris Day dislocating his finger,[52] Julian started in the club's first game of the 2011–12 campaign, keeping a clean sheet in Stevenage's 0–0 home draw against Exeter City.[53] He played the first three games of the season, before first choice goalkeeper Chris Day returned from injury.[53] Julian made just two further appearances during the campaign; in a 2–2 draw with AFC Wimbledon in the Football League Trophy, and an appearance as a second-half substitute in Stevenage's 2–2 home draw against Huddersfield Town.[53] He was released by Stevenage when his contract expired in May 2012.[54]

In June 2012, Julian joined Conference Premier club Newport County on a free transfer.[55] In Newport's first pre-season game ahead of the 2012–13 season, away to Caldicot Town, Julian suffered a knee ligament injury.[56][57] He subsequently missed the first three months of the season, before eventually making his first-team debut for Newport on 17 November 2012, in a 3–1 home defeat to Hyde.[58] Julian went on to make 11 appearances during a campaign in which Newport would return to the Football League after a 25-year absence following the club's 2–0 play-off final victory over Wrexham in May 2013.[58][59]

He was released by Newport at the end of the season, and subsequently signed for Dartford.[60] On securing the signing of Julian, Dartford manager Tony Burman stated, "After meeting Alan a couple of times, I was impressed with his professionalism and I am looking forward to having someone of his experience here at Dartford."[61] Julian was voted Dartford's player of the season for the 2013–14 season.

Following his departure from Dartford, Julian signed for Sutton United. However, following an injury in pre-season, Julian found opportunities limited, before eventually making 14 league appearances.[58] He eventually left the club along with fellow goalkeeper Tom Lovelock in January 2015.

Soon after, he joined Sutton's league rivals Bromley.[62] He made his debut for the club in a 2–1 away win over Basingstoke Town.[58]

On 16 February 2017, Julian joined Billericay Town.[63] On 19 October 2019, in an FA Cup fourth qualifying round match against his former club Sutton United, Julian scored an injury-time goal to earn his side a 1–1 draw and a replay.[64][65]