Les Allen

{{About|the English footballer|the Australian footballer|Les Allen (Australian footballer)|the musician and vocalist|Les Allen (musician)}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Les Allen

| image =

| fullname = Leslie William Allen

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1937|9|4|df=y}}

| birth_place = Dagenham, Essex, England

| position = Inside forward

| height = {{height|ft=5|in=10}}{{cite book|title=Soccer Who's Who|author=Maurice Golesworth|publisher=The Sportsmans Book Club|year=1965}}

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1954–1959

| clubs1 = Chelsea

| caps1 = 44

| goals1 = 11

| years2 = 1959–1965

| clubs2 = Tottenham Hotspur

| caps2 = 119

| goals2 = 47

| years3 = 1965–1969

| clubs3 = Queens Park Rangers

| caps3 = 128

| goals3 = 55

| totalcaps = 291

| totalgoals = 113

| nationalyears1 = 1961

| nationalteam1 = England U23

| nationalcaps1 = 1

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| manageryears1 = 1969–1970

| managerclubs1 = Queens Park Rangers

| manageryears2 = 1971

| managerclubs2 = Aris

| manageryears3 = 1972–1974

| managerclubs3 = Swindon Town

}}

File:Tottenham Hotspur FC 1960.jpg in 1960 with Danny Blanchflower (captain) and both goalkeepers, Bill Brown and John Hollowbread, in the team with Cecil Poynton as trainer and Bill Nicholson as manager. Les Allen sitting far right in the middle row.]]

Leslie William Allen (born 4 September 1937) is an English former football player and manager who played as an inside forward.

Playing career

Allen started his playing career at amateur club Briggs Sports where he helped them to reach the semi-finals of the Amateur Cup in 1954.{{cite web |url=http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/hall-of-fame-les-allen-080604/ |title=HALL OF FAME: LES ALLEN |publisher=Tottenham Hotspur |date=8 June 2004 |access-date=27 March 2017 }} In the same year Allen signed for Chelsea on his 17th birthday in September 1954 but never established his place in the Chelsea first-team. He scored 12 League goals for Chelsea in 44 appearances.

=Tottenham Hotspur=

Allen joined Tottenham Hotspur in December 1959 as part exchange for Johnny Brooks.{{cite book |title=Spurs: A Complete Record 1882-1988 |first=Bob |last=Goodwin |publisher=Breedon Books|date=29 August 1988|isbn= 978-0-907969-42-6 |page=70}} He scored twice in his debut game for Spurs against Newcastle, and five against Crewe Alexandra in the 1959–60 FA Cup tie a few weeks later that ended 13–2, which is the highest scoring FA Cup tie of the 20th century, and the club's record win.{{cite book |last1= Powley |first1= Adam |last2= Cloake |first2= Martin |title= The Spurs Miscellany |publisher= Vision Sports Publishing |date=2012 |isbn= 978-1-907637-71-1 |page=99}}

He was a key member of Tottenham's double winning side of 1960–61, forming a lethal goalscoring partnership with Bobby Smith. He scored 23 goals in the league that season, and four in the cups. In all, he scored 47 goals in 119 league appearances for the club, and 61 goals in all appearances (134). but struggled to retain his place following the arrival of Jimmy Greaves, and had to compete with Bobby Smith for the centre-forward spot.

Allen earned an England call-up in February 1961 where he earned one cap for England Under 23s against Wales.

=Queens Park Rangers=

Allen joined Queens Park Rangers in July 1965 for a recorded sum of £21,000. Allen scored 55 goals in 123 starts and five substitute appearances. He was a member of the QPR team who became the first Third Division side to win the Football League Cup Final 1967.{{Cite web|title = 'Keep clear of Shepherd's Bush tonight' – QPR at Wembley 1967 - Queens Park Rangers News|url = http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/35108/%25E2%2580%2598keep-clear-of-shepherd%25E2%2580%2599s-bush-tonight%25E2%2580%2599-%25E2%2580%2593-qpr-at-wembley-1967|website = Loft For Words|access-date = 15 January 2016}}

Managerial career

Allen briefly managed QPR during the 1969–70 season. In November 1972 he became manager of Swindon Town, remaining in charge until 1974.{{cite web|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/managers/manager.sd?manager_id=902|title=Managers: Les Allen|work=Soccerbase|publisher=Century Comm Ltd|access-date=19 July 2012}}

Family

His brother Dennis, sons Clive{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/9010716/Roman-Abramovich-determined-to-keep-a-close-eye-on-Chelseas-purse-strings-during-the-transfer-window.html|title=Roman Abramovich determined to keep a close eye on Chelsea's purse strings during the transfer window: Redknapp calls for players to go back to school|last=Jason Burt|date=11 January 2012|work=The Telegraph|publisher=Telegraph Media Group|access-date=14 April 2013}} and Bradley and nephews Paul and Martin were also professional footballers.

Honours

Tottenham Hotspur

Football League First Division: 1960–61
FA Cup: 1960–61{{cite book |first1=Leslie |first2=Jack |last1=Vernon |last2=Rollin |title=Rothmans Football Yearbook 1977–78 |year=1977 |publisher=Brickfield Publications Ltd |location=London |isbn=0354-09018-6 |page=490}}

Queens Park Rangers