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Players Index Page Last Updated
23 August 2018
 
 

Jim Allen

Portsmouth FC

2 appearances, 0 goals

P 2 W 1 D 0 L 1 F 4: A 2
50% successful

1933

captain: none
minutes played:
126

Profile

Full name James Phillips Allen
Born 16 October 1909 in Poole, Dorset [registered in Poole, December 1909].
Attended St. Mary's School, Longfleet

Census Notes

According to the 1911 census, a one year-old James lived at 14 Hickford Road, Poole. The youngest of eleven children, to Samuel and Fanny Allen. His father was a drayman.

According to the 1939 register, James P., a police reserve, is married to Mary. They live at 121 Brockhurst Road in the Hodge Hill area of Birmingham.

Married to May D. Brock (b.1 May 1910), [registered in Portsmouth, June 1935]
Died 5 February 1995 in Southsea, Hampshire, aged 85 years 113 days [registered in Portsmouth, February 1995]
Height/Weight 6'1", 12st. 10lbs [1934]

Notes

The Aston Villa Player Database states that Jim Allen died on 8th February, it also gives him a 'known-by' name of Jack, as does Doug Lamming.

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990], The Independent.co.uk/obituaries & FindMyPast.co.uk

Club Career

Club(s) He played for Poole Central FC and Poole Town FC before signing with Portsmouth FC in July 1932, for £1200. After 132 league appearances and a single goal, Allen signed for Aston Villa FC on 19 June 1934 for a British record transfer fee £10,775, ahead of other clubs eager to secrure his services. It came a day after Allen had re-signed with the Pompey. Allen made 147 league appearances and two goals for Villa, becoming club captain. Following the outbreak of war, he guested for Birmingham City FC, and then returned south and played for Portsmouth FC in January 1940, and Follands FC (Hampshire League) in May 1942, Chelsea FC for most of the 1942-43 season, and Crystal Palace FC in April 1943. Retired in May 1944 following a serious knee injury.
Club honours FA Cup runners-up 1933-34; Football League Division Two winners 1937-38.
Individual honours Football League (two appearances).
Distinctions Also played cricket, being a prominent bowler for Poole Conservatives CC, of the Bournemouth & District Cricket League.

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].

Management Career

Club(s) Appointed manager of Southern League club, Colchester United FC on 23 July 1948 until 1 May 1953. He resigned over 'a difference of club policy'.
Club honours Southern League Cup runners-up 1948-49, winners 1949-50; Southern League runners-up 1949-50.

England Career

Player number One of three who became 588th players (588) to appear for England.
Position(s) Centre-half
First match No. 188, 14 October 1933, Northern Ireland 0 England 3, a British Championship match at Windsor Park, Donegall Avenue, Belfast, aged 23 years 363 days.
Last match No. 189, 15 November 1933, England 1 Wales 2, a British Championship match at St James' Park, Gallowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne, injured 36 minutes, aged 24 years 30 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1933-34;
Team honours None
Individual honours None
Distinctions The second Dorsetian to represent England.
Died 23 days after Jackie Lee.

Beyond England

Worked as a Gaskell & Chambers sports and welfare officer in Birmingham, before taking the Colchester managership and, after leaving football in 1953, became a licencee at The Festing Hotel, in Southsea. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.10.

 

Jim Allen - Career Statistics
Squads Apps comp. apps Mins. Goals goals ave.min comp. goals Capt. Disc.
2 2 2 126 0 0 min 0 none none
minutes are an approximation, due to the fact that many matches rarely stick to exactly ninety minutes long, allowing time for injuries and errors.

 

Jim Allen - Match Record - All Matches - By Type of Match
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home 1 0 0 1 1 2 -1 0 0 1.00 2.00 0.00 -1
Away 1 1 0 0 3 0 +3 0 1 3.00 0.00 100.0 +1
All - British Championship 2 1 0 1 4 2 +2 0 1 2.00 1.00 50.0 =0

 

Jim Allen - Match Record - Tournament Matches
British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1933-34 2 1 0 1 4 2 +2 0 1 2.00 1.00 50.0 =0
BC All 2 1 0 1 4 2 +2 0 1 2.00 1.00 50.0 =0
All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 2 1 0 1 4 2 +2 0 1 2.00 1.00 50.0 =0
All 2 1 0 1 4 2 +2 0 1 2.00 1.00 50.0 =0

Match History

 Club: Portsmouth F.C. - two full appearances (126 min) F.A. International Selection Committee - two full appearances (126 min)x

Age 23
1 188 14 October 1933 - Ireland 0 England 3, Windsor Park, Belfast BC AW Start ch

Age 24
2 189 15 November 1933 - England 1 Wales 2, St James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne BC HL Start 36 ch
   

Notes

In football a record transfer fee carries with it an immense burden of pressure. Andy Cole, recently bought by Manchester United for £7m, will take time to bed in at his new club. And so too did Jimmy Allen, one of his predecessors as the most expensive player in the land. Admittedly, when Allen left Portsmouth for Aston Villa at a cost of £10,775 in June 1934 (just a few weeks after picking up an FA Cup loser's medal with Portsmouth), the media spotlight was markedly less severe than that now shining on Cole. But the amiable Allen found himself placed under immediate strain.

A vociferous faction of Villa Park fans were less than ecstatic at their club's parting with such a sum for a man they saw as a rather negative performer. They liked their centre-halves to take an active part in attacking play, while the 6ft Allen operated principally as a stopper.

Perhaps not surprisingly his early form was disappointing and the "I told you" brigade had a field day. but Allen remained calm, despite the trauma of relegation from the First Division in 1936. Before long he had proved the doubters wrong, revealing the form which had won him two England appearances in his Portsmouth days and skippering the Midlanders to the Second Division championship in 1938.

By then Allen, who had joined Pompey from his local club, non-league Poole Town, for £1,200 in 1930, was in his prime but, like so many players of his generation, he was denied the chance to explore his full potential by the outbreak of the Second World War.

After guesting for Fulham, Portsmouth and Birmingham City during the war, he was forced to retire through injury in 1944 and he became sports and welfare officer for a Birmingham company. But the call of football was strong, and in 1948 he became manager of non-league Colchester United, leading them into the Football League when the Third Division (South) increased in size in 1950. After two seasons of commendable consolidation, Allen's side fell away in 1952-53 and in the spring he resigned who became the a pub landlord on Southsea.

Behind his bar, Allen readily recounted tales of his playing days, but was too self-effacing to dwell on the possibility that, had he not been injured, Portsmouth might have beaten Manchester City at Wembley in 1934. In fact, Portsmouth were a goal up when Allen had to leave the field and City equalised before he was able to return, and then scored a late winner. Such modesty was typical of an engaging sportsman. - The Independent Obituary

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CG