Jock Allan Explained

Jock Allan
Birth Date:c. 1891
Birth Place:Cardenden, Scotland
Height:5 ft 10 in[1]
Position:Full back
Years2:1910–1911
Caps2:2
Goals2:0
Years3:1911–1913
Years4:1913–1922
Caps4:132
Goals4:1
Years5:1922–1923
Years6:1923–1928
Clubs6:J&P Coats
Caps6:120
Goals6:0

John Allan was a Scottish footballer who played as a full back. Allan began his career in the Scottish League before moving to The Football League. After he was banned for life by the Football Association for match fixing, Allan moved to the United States and played for five seasons in the American Soccer League.

Great Britain

Allan began his professional career with Dunfermline Athletic. In 1910, he moved to Hibernian F.C. where he played two games in September.[2] He then transferred to East Fife. On 10 May 1913, he transferred to Bury and remained with the team until 1923. On 1 May 1920, Bury tied at Coventry City, which allowed Coventry to remain in the Football League at the expense of Lincoln City. It eventually came to light that Coventry and Bury had conspired to fix the match. On 29 May 1923, after investigating the allegations, the Football Association Management Committee announced that Allan and several other players, managers and executives were banned for life.[3] [4] [5] By then Allan had transferred to Reading, but was immediately released by the team.

United States

Following his suspension by the FA, Allan moved to the United States in 1924 where he signed with J&P Coats of the American Soccer League. He played only three games with Coats at the end of the 1923-1924 season, but became a fixture on the team's backline for the next three seasons. He saw time in only 13 games during the 1927-1928 season. He left the ASL in 1928.[6]

Notes and References

  1. News: The coming of the big ball: the Second Division: Bury . Athletic News . Manchester . 18 August 1913 . 5 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription.
  2. http://www.fitbastats.com/hibs/player.php?playerid=256 Hibernian F.C.: Jock Allan
  3. http://www.themightyshakers.co.uk/oldsites/gordon/history/Trivia/match-fixing.htm The Match Fixing Scandal in the 1920s
  4. https://www.ccfpa.co.uk/?p=43394 Blast From The Remote Past: On This Day 1920: CCFC Survive In What Became 'The Bury Affair'
  5. https://staceywest.net/2017/11/17/coventry-match-fixing-scandal-relegates-imps/ Coventry Match-Fixing Scandal Relegates Imps
  6. Book: Jose, Colin . American Soccer League, 1921-1931 . The Scarecrow Press . 1998 . 0-8108-3429-4 .