| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Arthur Reginald Allen | ||
| Date of birth | 3 May 1919 | ||
| Place of birth | Marylebone, England | ||
| Date of death | 3 April 1976 (aged 56) | ||
| Place of death | Ealing, England | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1938–1950 | Queens Park Rangers | 183 | (0) |
| 1950–1955 | Manchester United | 75 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Arthur Reginald Allen (born 3 May 1919 in Marylebone, London, died 3 April 1976) was a goalkeeper with Queens Park Rangers and Manchester United in the 1930s, 40s and 50s.
Reg made his QPR league debut against Newport County in December 1938 and was known as one of the best goalkeepers of his era. He initially played for the Corona Football Club in the Hanwell and District League where a QPR supporter spotted him and recommended him to the club. He was given a trial with the Reserve team at Clacton and the side lost 2-1. Reg felt he had played poorly. The club though felt he had promise but it was several months before he could be persuaded to play again. His next match was again with the reserves at West Ham on 12 March 1937. West Ham won 7-1. Despite this it was still felt that Reg had done well and on 6 May 1938 he signed professional terms. Reg went on to play 183 league games for QPR, his career impacted by the war years where he was a POW in North Africa after being captured whilst on a Commando raid in July 1941. He was a member of the 1948 QPR team that won the Division Three (South) championship.
Reg was transferred to Manchester United on 6 June 1950 for £11,000, a then world-record fee for a goalkeeper, with his signing Jack Crompton United then number one keeper was reduced to backup role but played his last game for Manchester United on 4 October 1952, when Crompton managed to clame back his posisiton, along with adrwial with up and comming keeper Ray Wood, and Allen retired from football within five years. A testimonial game for Reg took place between QPR and Manchester United on 29 March 1954, raising in the region of £1,800 for his testimonial fund.
He died on 3 April 1976, one month before what would have been his 57th birthday.