Michael Allen (footballer)

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Michael Allen
Personal information
Full name Michael Allen[1]
Date of birth (1949-03-30) 30 March 1949 (age 75)
Place of birth South Shields, England
Position(s) Left back, Midfielder
Youth career
1966–1967 Middlesbrough
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1967–1971 Middlesbrough 35 (0)
1971–1979 Brentford 205 (11)
Whitby Town
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Michael Allen (born 30 March 1949) is an English retired professional footballer who made over 230 appearances in the Football League, most notably for Brentford. A left back, he also played League football for Middlesbrough.

Playing career[edit]

Middlesbrough[edit]

Born in South Shields, Allen began his career at Middlesbrough in 1966 and made his professional debut on 30 December 1967,[1] in a 2–1 Second Division defeat to Bolton Wanderers.[2] He scored his only goal for the club in a 1–1 FA Cup third round draw with Millwall on 4 January 1969.[2] Allen failed to break through into the first team, with his best tally being 15 appearances during the 1969–70 season.[2] He departed Ayresome Park a few months into the 1971–72 season, having made 38 appearances and scored one goal for Middlesbrough.[2]

Brentford[edit]

Allen dropped through the leagues to join Fourth Division high-flyers Brentford in October 1971, for a £10,000 fee.[3] Operating as a midfielder, his 33 appearances during the 1971–72 season helped the club to a third-place finish and promotion to the Third Division.[4] The Bees were relegated straight back to the Fourth Division and after moving to his preferred left back position in 1974,[4] Allen put in a Player of the Year award-winning season in 1975–76, when he missed only one league match.[3] Allen helped the club secure promotion back to the Third Division in 1977–78, with a fourth-place finish.[3] He made just seven appearances in the Third Division and departed Griffin Park at the end of the 1978–79 season.[3] Allen made 255 appearances and scored 13 goals during nearly 9 years with the Bees.[3]

Whitby Town[edit]

In 1979, Allen returned to his native northeast and ended his career with a spell as player-coach at Northern League club Whitby Town.[5]

Personal life[edit]

After retiring from football, Allen moved to Marton and worked for ICI Wilton.[6]

Career statistics[edit]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Middlesbrough 1967–68[2] Second Division 6 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
1968–69[2] 4 0 2 1 0 0 6 1
1969–70[2] 15 0 0 0 0 0 15 0
1970–71[2] 6 0 0 0 1 0 7 0
1971–72[2] 4 0 0 0 4 0
Total 35 0 2 1 1 0 38 1
Brentford 1971–72[4] Fourth Division 30 3 2 0 32 3
1972–73[4] Third Division 26 4 1 1 1 0 28 5
1973–74[4] Fourth Division 32 2 1 1 1 0 34 3
1974–75[4] 32 0 1 0 2 0 35 0
1975–76[4] 45 1 4 0 3 0 52 1
1976–77[4] 40 1 2 0 0 0 42 1
1977–78[4] 21 0 2 0 2 0 25 0
1978–79[4] Third Division 7 0 0 0 0 0 7 0
Total 205 11 13 2 9 0 227 13
Career total 240 11 15 3 10 0 265 14

Honours[edit]

Brentford

Individual

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Michael Allen". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Micky Allen". 11v11.com. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d e Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. p. 9. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 391–395. ISBN 0951526200.
  5. ^ Croxford, Lane & Waterman 2011, p. 263.
  6. ^ "Where Are They Now? Brentford Division Four promotion-winners 1971–72". The League Paper. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  7. ^ a b Croxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2011). The Big Brentford Book of the 70s. Legends Publishing. p. 295. ISBN 978-1906796709.