Charles Allan Explained

Charles Allan
Fullname:Charles Edward Allan
Birth Date:7 January 1908
Birth Place:Darlington, England
Death Date:1947 (aged 38)
Death Place:Darlington, England
Height:5 ft 9 in[1]
Position:Full back
Years1:193?–1932
Clubs1:Darlington
Caps1:3
Goals1:0
Years2:1932–1934
Caps2:15
Goals2:0
Years3:1934
Clubs3:Kidderminster Harriers
Years4:1934–1937
Clubs4:Darlington
Caps4:66
Goals4:1

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.

Life and career

Allan was born in 1908 in Darlington, County Durham,[2] to Charles Edward Wheatland Allan, a bricklayer, and his wife, Meggie née Chipchase. He had an older sister, Laura, and a younger brother, John.[3] [4]

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. He moved on to Third Division South club Northampton Town.[5] 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."[6] 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.[2] Retained for 1933–34,[7] he played nine games between September and November,[2] but then injury kept him out until nearly the end of the season.[8] 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,[9] 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.[10] 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.[11] 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[12] he missed one against Chester a couple of weeks later.[13] He helped Darlington reach the final of the 1936–37 Third Division North Cup, which they lost 2–1 to Chester, and in March 1936, he was reported as being watched by an unnamed Lancashire-based First Division club.[14] Allan kept his place until March 1937, when a succession of defeats prompted major changes to the eleven.[15] He appeared once more after being dropped, taking his appearances for Darlington in this second spell to 77 in all competitions, and was released on a free transfer at the end of the season.[16]

Allan married Sarah Scott in 1937.[17] The 1939 Register finds him employed as a platelayer in a steel and armaments plant and living with his wife in Temperance Place, Darlington.[18] Allan died in Darlington in 1947 at the age of 38.[2] [19]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Darlington1931–32Third Division North300030
Northampton Town1932–33Third Division South600060
1933–34Third Division South90000090
Total1500000150
Darlington1934–35Third Division North500050
1935–36Third Division North2913030351
1936–37Third Division North3204010370
Total6617040771
Career total8417040951

Sources

Notes and References

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