| Jimmy Allen | |
| Fullname: | James Phillips Allen[1] |
| Birth Date: | 1909 10, df=y |
| Birth Place: | Poole, England |
| Death Date: | [2] |
| Death Place: | Southsea, England |
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in[3] |
| Position: | Defender |
| Clubs1: | Poole Town |
| Years2: | 1930–1934 |
| Clubs2: | Portsmouth |
| Caps2: | 132 |
| Goals2: | 1 |
| Years3: | 1934–1939 |
| Clubs3: | Aston Villa |
| Caps3: | 147 |
| Goals3: | 2 |
| Totalcaps: | 279 |
| Totalgoals: | 3 |
| Nationalyears1: | 1933 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 2 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Manageryears1: | 1948–1953 |
| Managerclubs1: | Colchester United |
James Phillips Allen (16 October 1909 – 5 February 1995) was an English footballer and football manager who played and coached in the Football League. He played as a defender for Portsmouth and Aston Villa, making over 250 league appearances. He made two appearances for England at full international level.
After World War II, Allen became manager of Colchester United, whom he led from the Southern League into the Football League in 1950.
Born in Poole, Allen was the youngest boy in a family of thirteen children to Samuel and Fanny Allen. His father was a drayman. He attended St Mary's School in Longfleet, playing football for the school team, and also played for Poole Central.[4]
Allen played for his local club Poole Town, earning a transfer to Portsmouth for a sum of £1,200 in 1930.[2] Allen made 132 appearances for Portsmouth, scoring one goal.[5] In 1934, Portsmouth finished as runner-up in the FA Cup against Manchester City, with Allen picking up and injury during the game, and a runners-up medal.[2]
Allen joined Aston Villa in 1934 for a record transfer fee of £10,775.[2] He played in 147 league matches for Villa, scoring two goals,[1] unable to help the club avoid relegation from the First Division in 1936, but captaining the side to the Second Division championship in 1938.
Allen was in his prime when his career was interrupted by the outbreak of World War II. He was forced to retire through injury in 1944,[2] following wartime guest appearances for Birmingham City, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Luton Town, Portsmouth and Southampton, where he made eight appearances.[1] [6]
Allen made his international debut for England at the age of 23 in a 3–0 win over Northern Ireland at Windsor Park, Belfast on 14 October 1933 in a British Home Championship match. His second and final appearance for England came in a 2–1 defeat to Wales on 15 November 1933 at St James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne. He was injured after 36 minutes. Allen was the 588th player to appear for England.[4]
After the war and retiring from playing, Allen became a sports and welfare officer for a Birmingham company, but in 1948 took up the opportunity to manage Colchester United.[2] With the 1947–48 Southern League Cup final postponed until the 1948–49 season, Colchester were required to fulfil two cup finals in the space of 10 days, finishing as runner-up in both to Merthyr Tydfil in the 1948 final and losing to Yeovil Town in the 1949 final. Allen's team finished as runners-up in the Southern League the following season, and also finally found glory in the League Cup with an aggregate win over Bath City. On 3 June 1950, with the expansion of the Third Division South, Colchester were elected to the Football League for the first time in their history under Allen's stewardship.[7] Allen led the U's to 16th and 10th position in the 1950–51 and 1951–52 seasons respectively, but a poor run of form left Colchester to finish 22nd in the 1952–53 season, as Allen resigned on 2 May 1953.[8]
All statistics referenced by:[9]
Following his departure from Colchester, he became a landlord in Southsea. He died in Southsea aged 85 on 5 February 1995.[2]
Portsmouth
Aston Villa
Colchester United
All honours referenced by:[4] [7]