| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Paul Kevin Allen | ||
| Date of birth | 28 August 1962 | ||
| Place of birth | Aveley, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| – | West Ham United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1979–1985 | West Ham United | 152 | (6) |
| 1985–1993 | Tottenham Hotspur | 297 | (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 | 592 | (32) | |
| National team | |||
| 1985 | England U21 | 3 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Paul Kevin Allen (born 28 August 1962 in Aveley, Thurrock, Essex) 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.[1] He won three caps for England at under-21 level.[2]
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.[3] 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.[2]
Allen went on to play in two FA Cup finals for Tottenham Hotspur, on the losing side in 1987 but victorious in 1991.[4]
In eight years with Tottenham, he played 297 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.[5]
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. 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.[6]
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