The following season he found his opportunities limited by the arrival of French winger Jean-Louis Valois and agreed a 6-month loan move to Alloa in January 2003. Initially this appeared to have benefited Sloan, as he made 15 first team appearances for Hearts when they finished third in the SPL in 2003–04 but he again slipped out of first team contention the following year.
In the next season, his chances were diminished by Jean-Louis Valois's presence. He secured a 6-month loan to Alloa in January 2003. At first, Sloan seemed to benefit as he made 15 appearances for Hearts during their third-place finish in the SPL in 2003–04 but then fell from contention the following year.