Wikipedia

Charles Allan

Charles Edward Allan (7 January 1908 – 1947) was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League as a full back for Darlington and Northampton Town.[3]

Charles Allan
Personal information
Full name Charles Edward Allan[1]
Date of birth (1908-01-07)7 January 1908[1]
Place of birth Darlington, England
Date of death 1947 (aged 38)
Place of death Darlington, England
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2]
Position(s) Full back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
193?–1932 Darlington 3 (0)
1932–1934 Northampton Town 15 (0)
1934 Kidderminster Harriers
1934–1937 Darlington 66 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Life and career edit

Allan was born in 1908 in Darlington, County Durham,[1] to Charles Edward Wheatland Allan, a bricklayer, and his wife, Meggie née Chipchase. He had an older sister, Laura, and a younger brother, John.[4][5]

Allan joined his home-town club, Darlington of the Third Division North, from minor football in the area. He made his club and Football League debut on 16 April 1932, coming in to play the last three matches at left back, normally occupied by Herbert Brown.[6] He moved on to Third Division South club Northampton Town.[7] He began the season in their London Combination team, and in early September, scored against Fulham's reserves "with a shot which, if not from the half-way line, was taken from a point preciously close to it."[8] He made his first-team debut on 24 December in a 2–2 draw with Norwich City, and played five more matches in the last few weeks of the season.[1] Retained for 1933–34,[9] he played nine games between September and November,[1] but then injury kept him out until nearly the end of the season.[10] He rejected Northampton's offer of terms for another season, and was transfer-listed at a fee of £200. There were no takers, and he dropped out of League football and signed for Kidderminster Harriers of the Birmingham & District League on a month's trial. The trial proved successful, but Allan turned down the terms offered,[11] returned home and rejoined Darlington.

During the second of his five appearances that season, away to Crewe Alexandra on 16 February 1935, he took over in goal after Jack Beby was sent off in the second half: he conceded once, and the match ended as a 4–1 defeat.[12][13] He played twice at outside right at the start of the 1936–37 season, but did not get a chance in his proper position until mid-November, when he took over at left back from the injured Don Ashman and kept his place to the end of the season.[14][15] He scored what proved to be his only Football League goal to open the scoring in a 2–1 win against Accrington Stanley in November with a penalty[16] – he missed one against Chester a couple of weeks later.[17] He helped Darlington reach the final of the 1936–37 Third Division North Cup, which they lost 2–1 to Chester,[14] and in March 1936, he was reported as being watched by an unnamed Lancashire-based First Division club.[18] Allan kept his place until March 1937, when a succession of defeats prompted major changes to the eleven.[19] He appeared once more after being dropped, taking his appearances for Darlington in this second spell to 77 in all competitions,[20] and was released on a free transfer at the end of the season.[21]

Allan married Sarah Scott in 1937.[22] The 1939 Register finds him employed as a platelayer in a steel and armaments plant and living with his wife in Temperance Place, Darlington.[23] Allan died in Darlington in 1947 at the age of 38.[1][24]

Career statistics edit

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Darlington 1931–32[6] Third Division North 3 0 0 0 — 3 0
Northampton Town 1932–33[1] Third Division South 6 0 0 0 — 6 0
1933–34[1] Third Division South 9 0 0 0 0 0 9 0
Total 15 0 0 0 0 0 15 0
Darlington 1934–35[13] Third Division North 5 0 — 0 0 5 0
1935–36[14] Third Division North 29 1 3 0 3[a] 0 35 1
1936–37[20] Third Division North 32 0 4 0 1[a] 0 37 0
Total 66 1 7 0 4 0 77 1
Career total 84 1 7 0 4 0 95 1
  1. ^ a b Appearance(s) in Football League Third Division North Cup

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Player search: Allan, CE (Charles)". English National Football Archive. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  2. ^ "Fresh faces will be seen at Darlington". Sunday Sun. Newcastle upon Tyne. 15 August 1935. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Joyce (2004), p. 7.
  4. ^ "Charles Edward W Allan". England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837–1915. Retrieved 9 April 2021 – via Ancestry.com.
  5. ^ "Charles Edwd Wheatland Allan". UK, British Army World War I Pension Records 1914–1920 – via Ancestry.com.
  6. ^ a b Tweddle (2000), p. 33.
  7. ^ "Soccer's Southern 'hopefuls'. Northampton banking on new attack". Daily Herald. London. 18 August 1932. p. 14.
  8. ^ "Town Reserves hold Fulham at Northampton. Two freak goals". Mercury & Herald. Northampton. 9 September 1932. p. 15.
  9. ^ "Facing the future with optimism". Mercury & Herald. Northampton. 4 August 1933. p. 15.
  10. ^ "London Combination. Cobblers' new forward". Mercury & Herald. Northampton. 20 April 1934. p. 14. Allan made a successful return at left-back after a long absence due to injury.
  11. ^ "New Kidderminster back. Allan to aid Harriers against Cannock Town". Birmingham Gazette. 12 October 1934. p. 14.
    "Forward problems solved". Birmingham Gazette. 21 November 1934. p. 11.
  12. ^ "Surprise defeat of Darlington". Crewe Chronicle. 23 February 1935. p. 3.
  13. ^ a b Tweddle (2000), p. 36.
  14. ^ a b c Tweddle (2000), p. 37.
  15. ^ "Darlington v. Stockport Co". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. 9 November 1935. p. 8.
  16. ^ "A cup-tie rehearsal". Yorkshire Post. 25 November 1935. p. 3.
  17. ^ "Darlington v. Chester". Sports Special. Sheffield. 7 December 1935. p. 8.
  18. ^ Junior (28 March 1936). "Third Division Mems. North". Halifax Daily Courier & Guardian. p. 9.
  19. ^ "Drastic Darlington". Leeds Mercury. 12 March 1937. p. 11.
  20. ^ a b Tweddle (2000), p. 38.
  21. ^ "Darlington retain six players". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. 5 May 1937. p. 7.
  22. ^ "Charles E Allan". England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837–2005. Retrieved 9 April 2021 – via FamilySearch.org.
  23. ^ "Charles E Allan: Durham: Darlington CB: FABZ". 1939 England and Wales Register – via Ancestry.com.
  24. ^ "Charles E Allan". England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837–2007. Retrieved 9 April 2021 – via FamilySearch.org.

Sources edit

  • Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  • Tweddle, Frank (2000). The Definitive Darlington F.C. Nottingham: SoccerData. ISBN 978-1-899468-15-7.
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