Rory Allen

Rory Allen
Personal information
Full name Rory Allen
Date of birth (1977-10-17) 17 October 1977
Place of birth Beckenham, England
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Playing position Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1999 Tottenham Hotspur 20 (2)
1998 → Luton Town (loan) 8 (6)
1999–2002 Portsmouth 15 (3)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


Rory Allen (born 17 October 1977) is an English ex-professional football player.

Club career

Early career

A striker, Allen made his professional football debut for Tottenham Hotspur on 4 September 1996 as a substitute in a 1–0 defeat at Wimbledon (aged 18). He went on to score four times in 28 games for Spurs including starting a memorable 3rd round FA Cup tie in 1997 against Manchester United alongside Neale Fenn up front. Two of his four goals came in the league, against Newcastle[1] and Manchester United,[2] also scoring a brace against Preston North End in the League Cup.[3] Allen was sent on loan to Luton Town in 1997, scoring 6 goals in 8 appearances in what was then Division Two (the third tier of English football).

Portsmouth

Portsmouth paid Spurs a club record £1,000,000 for him in July 1999, as he became Pompey's first million-pound signing,[4] citing manager Alan Ball as a key factor in his decision to make the move.[5] He suffered an injury in pre-season training.[5] He scored his first goal for Portsmouth on 15 August 1999 in a match against Wolves.[6] The following week, he made it two goals in a week, scoring in a 2–0 victory at home to Stockport.[7] He injured his ankle in September 1999, lasting only 24 minutes of a league match against Ipswich.[8] He wouldn't play again until making an appearance as a substitute in March 2000.[9] Allen scored his third Portsmouth goal against QPR in May 2000, equalising in the 53rd minute but with Portsmouth finally losing the match 3–1.[10]

He struggled for match fitness,[11] and missed the whole of the 2000–01 and 2001–02 seasons due to knee problems.[12] He scored in a pre-season friendly match against Spanish side Alavés in August 2002,[12] but made no further competitive appearances. He left the club in November 2002, handing in a letter of resignation with eight months of his contract remaining.[13] Having already undergone eight operations to his ankles and knees over the course of his career, this signalled his retirement from football aged just 25.[14]

Personal life

In 2000, Allen was arrested and fined alongside Portsmouth goalkeeper Aaron Flahavan after he admitted to being abusive towards police officers following a drinking session.[15]

References

  1. ↑ Hey, Stan (7 September 1996). "Keegan strikes balance". London: The Independent. Retrieved 7 November 2009.
  2. ↑ Rowbottom, Mike (12 January 1997). "Beckham's drive cuts at the heart of Spurs' faithful". London: The Independent. Retrieved 7 November 2009.
  3. ↑ Wood, Greg (25 September 1996). "Allen provides key for Spurs". London: The Independent. Retrieved 7 November 2009.
  4. ↑ Pompey swoop for Spurs striker, Andover Advertiser, 15 July 1999.
  5. 1 2 Bromsgrove, Alan (23 August 1999). "Ball's joy as Allen underlines his worth". Daily Mail. Retrieved 8 December 2013. – via Highbeam Research (subscription required)
  6. ↑ "Football: RORY'S GLORY". Sunday Mirror. 15 August 1999. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  7. ↑ "Football: Rory hits warpath; Portsmouth 2 Stockport 0". The People. 22 August 1999. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  8. ↑ "10-man Ipswich dig deep for reward; Portsmouth 1 Ipswich Town 1". Sunday Mercury. 12 September 1999. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  9. ↑ "Giveaway Forest felled by Claridge late show; Portsmouth 2 Nottm Forest 1". Sunday Mercury. 12 March 2000. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  10. ↑ "Pompey sunk by super-sub Gallen; REST OF DIVISION ONE". The Birmingham Post. 8 May 2000. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  11. ↑ Curtis, John (17 October 2001). "Football: Promotion Nilsson's Premier Goal". The Independent. Retrieved 8 December 2013. – via Highbeam Research (subscription required)
  12. 1 2 Lea, Jenny (4 August 2002). "Football: RORY GLORY ENDS AGONY; Portsmouth 1 Alaves 1". The People. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  13. ↑ Hannigan, Mary (18 November 2002). "After all, it's only a game". The Irish Times. Retrieved 8 December 2013. – via Highbeam Research (subscription required)
  14. ↑ Dart, James (14 February 2007). "The Knowledge". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 14 February 2007.
  15. ↑ "Football: Uefa Cup Place for Worthington Victors". The Independent. 23 February 2000. Retrieved 8 December 2013. – via Highbeam Research (subscription required)
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