John Filan

Football player infobox
playername = John Filan


fullname = John Richard Filan
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1970|2|8
cityofbirth = Sydney
countryofbirth = Australia
currentclub = none
clubnumber =
position = Goalkeeper
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1989-1991 1991-1992 1992 1992-1993 1993-1995 1995 1995-1997 1997-2001 2001-2007 2006
clubs = St George Saints Wollongong Wolves St George Saints Wollongong Wolves Cambridge United → Nottingham Forest "(loan)" Coventry City Blackburn Rovers Wigan Athletic → Doncaster Rovers "(loan)"
caps(goals) = 52 (0) 23 (0) ? (?) 6 (0) 68 (0) 0 (0) 16 (0) 64 (0) 184 (0) 3 (0)
nationalyears = 1991-1997
nationalteam = flagicon|Australia Australia
nationalcaps(goals) = 3 (0)
pcupdate = 03:19, 31 August 2007 (UTC)
ntupdate = 03:19, 31 August 2007 (UTC)

John Filan (born February 8, 1970 in Sydney) is an Australian football (soccer) goalkeeper.

He joined Wigan in December 2001 for £600,000 from Blackburn. He has a wealth of experience in the top-flight from his time with Rovers and with Coventry (from 1995-1997) that has proved to be priceless for the Latics. Before playing for Coventry, he played for Cambridge from 1992 to 1995. Filan was a member of the Australian team that competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.

Before joining Cambridge, he played for St George and Wollongong Wolves in the old National Soccer League in Australia.

Prior to the start of Wigan's debut season in the Premiership he had missed only one match for the club but was injured at the start of the 2005-06 season with Wigan's new signing Mike Pollitt taking his place in the side. Filan, however signed a new contract which kept him at the club until 2007. Seeing out his contract with Wigan, he was released at the end of the season.

Filan returned to Australia in semi-retirement, resettling in his home town of Sydney. In August 2007 agreed terms with A-League side Sydney FC as backup to Clint Bolton, [citenews|title=Oh what a Filan: Sydney get their hands on veteran keeper |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/a-league/oh-what-a-filan-sydney-get-their-hands-on-veteran-keeper/2007/08/27/1188067034886.html |work=Sydney Morning Herald |date=2007-08-28 |accessdate=2007-08-28 ] however the deal fell through citing outside issues. [citenews| title=Filan's about-face puts Sydney on spot |work=Sydney Morning Herald |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/a-league/filans-aboutface-puts-sydney-on-spot/2007/08/30/1188067281355.html |date=2007-08-31|accessdate=2007-08-31]

As he has an Irish passport through his ancestry, he once sought to play the international football for Ireland. However, FIFA ruled against it in February 1999 because he had played for the Australian Olympic team. [ [http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/1999/02/24/phead.htm Soccer News, February 24, 1999 ] ] [ [http://www.ireland.com/sports/tdf/special/soccerold/1999/0223/soccer3.htm FIFA rule Leeds must free players / Soccer / Sports Extra / ireland.com ] ]

Filan is currently employed with A-League side Sydney FC as their Youth team's Goalkeeper Coach.

References

External links

*soccerbase|id=2503|name=John Filan