Alan McConnell is a former Australian rules football

Australian rules football

Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...

er who played for Footscray

Western Bulldogs

The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...

 in the VFL

Australian Football League

The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...

 during the early 1980s and later coached Fitzroy

Fitzroy Football Club

The Fitzroy Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Lions, is an Australian rules football club formed in 1883 to represent the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, Victoria and was a foundation member club of the Victorian Football League on its inception in 1897...

.

Originally from Preston, McConnell was a defender at Footscray and spent three seasons with the club. In 1995 he was appointed as the caretaker coach of Fitzroy when Bernie Quinlan

Bernie Quinlan

Bernie Quinlan , was a former Australian rules footballer and coach, who enjoyed a lengthy career with Footscray and Fitzroy in the VFL. He played 366 league games in total.- Playing career :...

 was sacked during the season. He again coached some games the following season year when senior coach Michael Nunan

Michael Nunan

Michael 'Mick' Nunan is a former Australian rules football player who played one match in the VFL for the Richmond Football Club in 1971. He was senior coach of the Fitzroy Football Club in 1996, their final year prior to merging with the Brisbane Bears to form the Brisbane Lions.Nunan was best...

stood aside but he failed to register a win in either season. After leaving Fitzroy he joined Geelong as an assistant coach.