Paul Allen (footballer)

Paul Kevin Allen (born 28 August 1962) is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder in the Football League for West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton, Luton Town, Stoke City, Swindon Town, Bristol City and Millwall in the 1980s and 1990s.[3] He won three caps for England at under-21 level.[4]

For other people named Paul Allen, see Paul Allen (disambiguation).

Paul Allen
Personal information
Full name Paul Kevin Allen[1]
Date of birth (1962-08-28) 28 August 1962[1]
Place of birth Aveley,[1] England
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
West Ham United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1979–1985 West Ham United 152 (6)
1985–1993 Tottenham Hotspur 292 (23)
1993–1995 Southampton 43 (1)
1994 → Luton Town (loan) 4 (0)
1995 → Stoke City (loan) 17 (1)
1995–1997 Swindon Town 36 (1)
1997 Bristol City 15 (0)
1997–1998 Millwall 28 (0)
– Purfleet
Total 587 (32)
National team
1985 England U21 3 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

At 17 years and 256 days old, Allen's appearance for West Ham United against Arsenal in the 1980 FA Cup Final made him the youngest player to appear in an FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium, though James Prinsep played at a younger age at Kennington Oval in 1879. Both records have since been broken.[5] His debut for West Ham had come on 29 September 1979 when 32 days after his 17th birthday he had appeared for the club in their 2–1 home win over Burnley in the Second Division. He collected a Second Division title medal for the Hammers in 1980–81 and helped re-establish them as a First Division side. He made 152 league appearances for the Hammers, scoring six goals, before a £400,000 fee took him to their London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on 19 June 1985.[6]

Allen went on to play in two FA Cup finals for Tottenham Hotspur, on the losing side in 1987 but victorious in 1991.[7] In eight years with Tottenham, he played 292 league games and scored 23 goals. He was voted player of the year for the 1992–93 season, his final full season at White Hart Lane.[8]

He remained at White Hart Lane until 16 September 1993, when a £550,000 deal took him to Southampton. He played 33 FA Premier League games in 1993–94, scoring once, but played just 10 league games without scoring in 1994–95 and was loaned out for 17 games to Stoke City, scoring once in a 4–2 defeat away at Southend United in March 1995. He then signed for Swindon Town on a free transfer and helped them win the Division Two title (and promotion to Division One) in 1995–96.

After retiring from playing football at the end of the 1997–98, which he spent in Division One with Millwall, he worked for the Professional Footballers' Association.[9]

Career statistics

Source:[10]

Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other[A] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
West Ham United 1979–80 Second Division 312817000463
1980–81 Second Division 31103030101
1981–82 First Division 280002000300
1982–83 First Division 330107200412
1983–84 First Division 190301000230
1984–85 First Division 383524000475
Total 15261832423019711
Tottenham Hotspur 1985–86 First Division 332504060482
1986–87 First Division 373619000524
1987–88 First Division 393103000433
1988–89 First Division 371105000431
1989–90 First Division 326106200398
1990–91 First Division 363606000483
1991–92 First Division 393207280563
1992–93 Premier League 383504000473
1993–94 Premier League 1000000010
Total 2922327144414037728
Southampton 1993–94 Premier League 321202000361
1994–95 Premier League 110002000130
Total 431204000491
Luton Town (loan) 1994–95 First Division 4000000040
Stoke City (loan) 1994–95 First Division 171000020191
Swindon Town 1995–96 Second Division 270510010331
1996–97 First Division 101002000121
Total 371512010452
Bristol City 1996–97 Second Division 140000030170
Millwall 1997–98 Second Division 280103020340
Career Total 5873253577625074243
A. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the Anglo-Italian Cup, FA Charity Shield, Football League Trophy, Screen Sport Super Cup and UEFA Cup Winners Cup.

Honours

As a player

West Ham United

Tottenham Hotspur

Swindon Town

Individual

References
  1. "Paul Allen". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  2. Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 372. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
  3. "Paul Allen". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  4. Courtney, Barrie (10 January 2004). "England – U-21 International Results 1976–1985 – Details". RSSSF. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  5. Moore, Glenn (2 January 2009). "Curtis Weston: History man or just a footballing footnote?". The Independent. Archived from the original on 4 January 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  6. "Paul Allen". Sporting Heroes. Archived from the original on 3 July 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  7. Smith, Dave (10 December 2002). "PAUL ALLEN: Still remembered for the cup final goal he didn't score!". Professional Footballers' Association. Archived from the original on 20 May 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  8. "Football photographic encyclopedia, footballer, world cup, champions league, football championship, olympic games & hero images by sporting-heroes.net". sporting-heroes.net.
  9. Struthers, Greg (27 March 2005). "Caught in Time: West Ham win the FA Cup, 1980". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  10. Paul Allen at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  • Paul Allen at Soccerbase
  • Paul Allen at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database
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