Bryn Allen

Brynley William Allen (23 March 1921 – 21 July 2005) was a Welsh professional footballer who played as an inside forward for various clubs in the 1940s and 1950s and made two appearances for Wales.

Bryn Allen
Personal information
Full name Brynley William Allen[1]
Date of birth (1921-03-23)23 March 1921
Place of birth Gilfach Goch, Wales
Date of death 21 July 2005(2005-07-21) (aged 84)
Place of death Gilfach Goch, Wales
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Playing position(s) Inside-left
Youth career
Gilfach Welfare
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1937–1939 Swansea Town 0 (0)
1945–1947 Cardiff City 41 (18)
1947–1948 Newport County 17 (12)
1948–1949 Cardiff City 17 (4)
1949–1950 Reading 26 (12)
1950–1952 Coventry City 88 (26)
1952–1953 Merthyr Tydfil
1953 Hereford United
1953–1957 Barry Town 178 (57)
Haverfordwest Athletic
National team
1950 Wales 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Football career

Allen was born in Gilfach Goch, Glamorgan and as a schoolboy attracted the attention of several football League clubs, including Manchester United, where he had an unsuccessful trial.[2] On leaving school, he was employed in the Trave Colliery before signing for Swansea Town when he was 16.[2] He had not broken into Swansea's first team before his career was interrupted by the Second World War.

During the war, he joined the Royal Navy where he served on board the battleship HMS Duke of York on convoy duty. Whilst serving on Duke of York, he took part in a football match at Scapa Flow against a team from the French battleship Richelieu.[2]

He guested or Cardiff City during the hostilities and, after he was demobilised at the end of the war, he was signed by the club on a permanent basis in December 1945. Described as a "clever and skillful player with an excellent body swerve",[2] he made his professional debut on the opening day of the 1946–47 season during a 2–1 defeat to Norwich City.[3] Allen soon became a regular with Cardiff and his 18 goals helped them to promotion at the end of the first post-war Football League campaign. Allen, however, did not remain long in the Second Division and was transferred to Newport County in October 1947.[2]

He returned to Ninian Park in August 1948, with Reg Parker moving in the opposite direction,[4] but in May 1949 he was transferred to Reading. Nine months later, he was back in the Second Division with Coventry City. In January 1950, Reading had played an evening match against Coventry City; after the match, Reading's manager Ted Drake mentioned to Harry Storer that Allen was available for transfer. Storer then set off immediately to Allen's home, where he persuaded him to sign, with the deal being completed at midnight.[2]

Allen's international debut came on 21 October 1950, when he was called up for the Home Championship match against Scotland. Despite displaying great "cohesion" and making good use of the ball "as a line", Wales lost 3–1 to the more muscular Scots.[5] Allen retained his place for the next match against England the following month; this match also ended in a defeat for Wales.[6]

Allen remained with Coventry until 1952, when he dropped down to non-league football with Merthyr Tydfil, before spells at Hereford United, Barry Town and Haverfordwest Athletic.[2] At Barry Town, he was part of the team which won the Welsh Cup in 1955, defeating Chester 4–3 in the final, after a replay.[7]

International appearances

Roberts made two appearances for Wales in official international matches, as follows:[8]

DateVenueOpponentResult[9]GoalsCompetition
21 October 1950Ninian Park, Cardiff Scotland1–301951 British Home Championship
15 November 1950Roker Park, Sunderland England2–401951 British Home Championship
Win Draw Loss

Later career

After leaving professional football, Allen worked as a postman in his home town of Gilfach Goch, where he died on 21 July 2005.[10] He was buried at Tonyrefail Cemetery.[11]

In May 2007, Allen's collection of sporting memorabilia came up for auction. The lots included his Football League Division Three (South) Championship medal from 1946-47 (sold for £1,100),[12] his international jerseys from the matches against Scotland and England in 1950 (sold for £600 each)[13][14] and a scrapbook of ephemera.[15]

Honours

Cardiff City[3]

Barry Town

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References
  1. "Bryn Allen". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  2. Davies, Gareth; Garland, Ian (1991). Who's Who of Welsh International Soccer Players. Bridge Books. pp. 12–13. ISBN 1-872424-11-2.
  3. Hayes, Dean (2006). The Who's Who of Cardiff City. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 13. ISBN 1-85983-462-0.
  4. Hugman, Barry (1981). Football League Players Records (1946–1981). Aylesbury: Rothmans Publications. p. 270. ISBN 0-907574-08-4.
  5. "Scots Forwards Unimpressive at Cardiff – Skill Sacrificed for Brawn (Wales 1 Scotland 3)". www.londonhearts.com (Match report). 21 October 1950. p. 5. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
  6. "England 4 – 2 Wales". www.englandstats.com. 15 November 1950. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
  7. "Barry Town 4–3 Chester". Welsh Cup Final 1954–55. Welsh Football Data Archive. 14 May 1955. Archived from the original on 18 May 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
  8. Samuel, Bill (2009). The Complete Wales FC 1876-2008. Soccer Books. p. 36. ISBN 1-86223-176-1.
  9. Wales score first
  10. "Player: Brynley Allen". /www.eu-football.info. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
  11. "Bluebirds on the Way Up". Cardiff: South Wales Echo. 22 July 2005. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
  12. "Details of Lot 119". Auction Catalogue. Graham Budd Auctions. 10 May 2007. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
  13. "Details of Lot 120". Auction Catalogue. Graham Budd Auctions. 10 May 2007. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
  14. "Details of Lot 121". Auction Catalogue. Graham Budd Auctions. 10 May 2007. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
  15. "Details of Lot 122". Auction Catalogue. Graham Budd Auctions. 10 May 2007. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
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