38 Facts About Ronnie Allen

Ronald Allen was an English international football player and manager.

Ronnie Allen was a professional footballer for nineteen years, between 1946 and 1964, making 638 appearances in the Football League, and scoring 276 goals.

Ronnie Allen later became a manager at clubs in England, Spain, Portugal, and Greece.

Ronnie Allen was one of the best strikers of the 1950s, playing over 400 games, with a ratio of a goal every two games.

Ronald Ronnie Allen was born on 15 January 1929 in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

Ronnie Allen then moved on to Northwood Mission where he played at outside-right, alongside Bill McGarry and Basil Hayward, who would later become his teammates at Port Vale.

Ronnie Allen signed amateur forms with Port Vale in December 1944 at the age of 15.

Ronnie Allen joined the Royal Air Force early in 1947 and represented their football team on several occasions.

Ronnie Allen managed to fill attacking void, and formed a deadly partnership with Johnny Nicholls, feeding poacher Nicholls many of the 58 league goals he scored between 1951 and 1957.

Ronnie Allen scored a total of 234 goals in 458 appearances for the West Brom, making him the second highest scorer in the club's history, behind Tony Brown.

Ronnie Allen left Crystal Palace in March 1965 at the age of 36, having scored 34 goals in 100 league games for the club.

Ronnie Allen had to wait almost two years for his second cap, which came against Scotland on 3 April 1954, the same day that his club West Bromwich Albion were playing rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers in a vital First Division match.

Ronnie Allen appeared against Yugoslavia, and was included in England's initial squad for the 1954 FIFA World Cup, but did not make the final travelling party.

Ronnie Allen was again overlooked in the selection for the 1958 FIFA World Cup.

Ronnie Allen was seen to be too far ahead of his time.

On his lack of England caps, Ronnie Allen himself said, "No two people see the game the same way and everyone is entitled to his own judgement".

Ronnie Allen should have played for England more, there was no doubting Allen's sheer skill.

Ronnie Allen travelled with England to the 1958 and 1982 World Cups as the team's official interpreter.

Ronnie Allen was a skilful and intelligent forward player, who used his speed rather than his physique to get the better of opposition defenders.

Ronnie Allen was an accomplished passer of the ball, able to make pinpoint through passes at both short and long range.

Ronnie Allen had fantastic vision on the ball, and could play with both feet.

Ronnie Allen had a powerful shot, was an accomplished penalty taker, and could volley the ball with ease.

In March 1965 Ronnie Allen joined Wolverhampton Wanderers as senior coach, working under manager Andy Beattie.

Ronnie Allen signed quality players, bringing names such as Derek Dougan and Mike Bailey to Molineux.

Ronnie Allen took up the post of manager at Spanish club Athletic Bilbao in summer 1969, replacing Rafael Iriondo.

Ronnie Allen remained at the club until November 1971, leaving shortly after being eliminated from the UEFA Cup by Eintracht Braunschweig.

Ronnie Allen returned to the Midlands to take up the management reins at Walsall in July 1973.

Ronnie Allen returned to West Bromwich Albion as a scouting advisor in January 1977, before being installed as manager six months later.

Ronnie Allen recommended the club sign Cyrille Regis, who would become the club's main striker for the next seven years and part of the "Three Degrees" with Brendon Batson and Laurie Cunningham.

Ronnie Allen returned to management in June 1980, this time at Greek club Panathinaikos.

Ronnie Allen signed Steve MacKenzie, Andy King, Martin Jol, and Romeo Zondervan; none of whom would prove particularly effective.

Ronnie Allen then ended his managerial career in May 1982, choosing instead to work as the club's general manager.

Ronnie Allen stepped down from this post in June 1983, though continued to coach and scout for the club during his retirement, until 1996.

Ronnie Allen even played in a testimonial match at Cheltenham in 1995, at the age of 66.

Ronnie Allen had a son, Russell Allen, who started his career at West Brom, before playing close to 300 league games at Tranmere Rovers and Mansfield Town between 1971 and 1981.

Ronnie Allen died suffering with Alzheimer's disease on 9 June 2001 in Hardwick Court Nursing Home, Great Wyrley, Staffordshire.

Ronnie Allen had himself played and scored the only goal for West Brom in a testimonial match for Athletic's long serving player Agustin Gainza in 1958, and while managing the Spanish side in 1971 he had arranged two friendlies between the clubs for the benefit of Bobby Hope and Jose Angel Iribar.

In 2004 Ronnie Allen was named as one of West Bromwich Albion's 16 greatest players, in a poll organised as part of the club's 125th anniversary celebrations.