Allen, Dennis
Dennis Allen, who made over three hundred league appearances for Reading, had a spell as Exeter City general manager in the 1980s. He was a member of a notable football family that included Clive, Les, Martin and Paul.
Born in Romford in 1939, Dennis Allen turned professional with Charlton Athletic for whom he played a handful of league games ahead of signing for Reading in 1961, Spending nine years with the Berkshire club, he made 336 league appearances (scoring 85 times) before moving to Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic for the 1970/71 campaign. He later appeared for Oostende in Belgium followed by a five-year stint as player-manager of Southern League Cheltenham Town.
Arriving at St James' Park in 1985, the forty-five-year-old - a friend of City chairman Byron Snell - was keen to emphasise that he would be in charge of City's operations and that his business background (both in football and in running his own business in Reading) would help enormously. An FA staff coach, he was also acting as agent to his nephew Paul Allen, then of West Ham United but soon to join Tottenham Hotspur.
Over the years the Allens were to become a prominent family in English football. Dennis's brother Les was a member of Tottenham Hotspur's 1960/61 double-winning side and had two footballing sons: Clive (who also played for Spurs as well as winning five England caps in the 1980s) and Bradley (who played for England under-21s along with Charlton, QPR and several other clubs). Dennis's own son Martin also played for England under-21s in the mid-1980s and was best-remembered as a player for QPR and West Ham before serving as manager of over a dozen clubs. Aside from nephew Paul, other members of Dennis's family included grandson Charlie (who played in the Football League for Gillingham between 2012 and 2014)) and great-nephew Oliver (who played in the Football League for Barnet in 2007/08).
Dennis Allen died in Reading in 1995 at the age of fifty-six.
Born in Romford in 1939, Dennis Allen turned professional with Charlton Athletic for whom he played a handful of league games ahead of signing for Reading in 1961, Spending nine years with the Berkshire club, he made 336 league appearances (scoring 85 times) before moving to Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic for the 1970/71 campaign. He later appeared for Oostende in Belgium followed by a five-year stint as player-manager of Southern League Cheltenham Town.
Arriving at St James' Park in 1985, the forty-five-year-old - a friend of City chairman Byron Snell - was keen to emphasise that he would be in charge of City's operations and that his business background (both in football and in running his own business in Reading) would help enormously. An FA staff coach, he was also acting as agent to his nephew Paul Allen, then of West Ham United but soon to join Tottenham Hotspur.
Over the years the Allens were to become a prominent family in English football. Dennis's brother Les was a member of Tottenham Hotspur's 1960/61 double-winning side and had two footballing sons: Clive (who also played for Spurs as well as winning five England caps in the 1980s) and Bradley (who played for England under-21s along with Charlton, QPR and several other clubs). Dennis's own son Martin also played for England under-21s in the mid-1980s and was best-remembered as a player for QPR and West Ham before serving as manager of over a dozen clubs. Aside from nephew Paul, other members of Dennis's family included grandson Charlie (who played in the Football League for Gillingham between 2012 and 2014)) and great-nephew Oliver (who played in the Football League for Barnet in 2007/08).
Dennis Allen died in Reading in 1995 at the age of fifty-six.
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