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{{Short description|English football player and manager (1929–2001)}}
{{Other people|Ronald Allen}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name           = Ronnie Allen
| image          = 
| caption        = 
| fullname       = Ronald Allen<ref name=englandfootballonline.com />
| birth_date     = {{birth date|1929|01|15|df=y}}<ref name="obit"/>
| birth_place    = [[Fenton, Staffordshire|Fenton]], [[Stoke-on-Trent]], [[Staffordshire]], England<ref name="obit"/>
| death_date     = {{death date and age|2001|6|9|1929|01|15|df=y}}<ref name="obit"/>
| death_place    = [[Great Wyrley]], [[Staffordshire]], England<ref name="17 Nov 2008">{{cite web|title=Ronnie Allen|url=http://www.wba.co.uk/page/Superstars/0,,10366~668538,00.html|work=wba.co.uk|access-date=11 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725101017/http://www.wba.co.uk/page/Superstars/0,,10366~668538,00.html|archive-date=25 July 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|height          = {{convert|5|ft|8|in|cm|0|abbr=on}}<ref name="obit"/>
| position       = [[Outside forward]], [[centre-forward]]<ref name="obit"/>
| youthyears1    = 1941–1944| youthclubs1 = Northwood Mission
| youthyears2    = 1944–1946| youthclubs2 = [[Port Vale F.C.|Port Vale]]
| years1         = 1946–1950| clubs1 = [[Port Vale F.C.|Port Vale]]| caps1 = 123| goals1 = 34
| years2         = 1950–1961| clubs2 = [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]]| caps2 = 415| goals2 = 208
| years3         = 1961–1965| clubs3 = [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]]| caps3 = 100| goals3=34
| totalcaps      = 638| totalgoals  = 276
| nationalyears1 = 1952–1954| nationalteam1 = [[England national football team|England]]| nationalcaps1 = 5| nationalgoals1 = 2
| nationalyears2 = 1954| nationalteam2 = [[England B national football team|England B]]| nationalcaps2 = 2| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 =          | nationalteam3 = [[English Football League|Football League]] | nationalcaps3 = 1| nationalgoals3 = 0
| manageryears1  = 1965–1968| managerclubs1 = [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]]
| manageryears2  = 1967| managerclubs2 = → [[Los Angeles Wolves]] <small>([[United Soccer Association|USA]])</small>
| manageryears3  = 1969–1971| managerclubs3 = [[Athletic Bilbao]]
| manageryears4  = 1972| managerclubs4 = [[Sporting Clube de Portugal|Sporting CP]]
| manageryears5  = 1973| managerclubs5 = [[Walsall F.C.|Walsall]]
| manageryears6  = 1977| managerclubs6 = [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]]
| manageryears7  = 1977–1978| managerclubs7 = [[Saudi Arabia national football team|Saudi Arabia]]
| manageryears8  = 1980| managerclubs8 = [[Panathinaikos F.C.|Panathinaikos]]
| manageryears9  = 1981–1982| managerclubs9 = [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]]
}}

'''Ronald Allen''' (15 January 1929 – 9 June 2001) was an English [[England national football team|international]] [[Association football|football]] player and [[Manager (association football)|manager]]. He was a professional footballer for 19 years, between 1946 and 1964, making 638 appearances in the [[English Football League|Football League]] and scoring 276 goals. He also won five [[Cap (sport)|cap]]s for the England national team. He later became a manager at clubs in England, Spain, Portugal, and Greece. His son, [[Russell Allen (footballer)|Russell]], also played professional football throughout the 1970s.

Starting his career in 1946 with [[Port Vale F.C.|Port Vale]], he spent four years with the club before making a record-breaking [[Transfer (association football)|transfer]] to [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]]. He was one of the best strikers of the 1950s, playing over 400 games, with a ratio of a goal every two games. He lifted the [[FA Cup]] in [[1954 FA Cup final|1954]], and helped the club to the [[FA Community Shield|FA Charity Shield]] in [[1954 FA Charity Shield|1954]], and a second-place finish in the [[Football League First Division|First Division]] in [[1953–54 Football League|1953–54]]. In 1961 he signed with [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]], where he spent the final four years of his playing career. He helped Palace win [[Promotion and relegation|promotion]] out of the [[Football League Third Division|Third Division]] in [[1963–64 Football League|1963–64]].

His management career began in 1965 with [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]], as he led Wolves out of the [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]] in [[1966–67 Football League|1966–67]]. In 1969, he took up the reins at Spanish club [[Athletic Bilbao]], leading the club to a second-place finish in [[La Liga]] in [[1969–70 La Liga|1969–70]]. In 1972, he was appointed manager of Portuguese club [[Sporting Clube de Portugal|Sporting Lisbon]]; after one season with the club, he moved back to England to manage [[Walsall F.C.|Walsall]] for a brief period. In 1977, he spent a short time as manager of West Bromwich Albion. After a spell advising the [[Saudi Arabia national football team|Saudi Arabia national team]], he took charge of Greek club [[Panathinaikos F.C.|Panathinaikos]] for a short time in 1980. His last management position was back at West Brom in 1981–82, following which he served the club as a [[Coach (sport)|coach]] and [[Scout (association football)|scout]].

==Club career==

===Youth teams===
Ronald Allen was born on 15 January 1929 in [[Fenton, Staffordshire|Fenton]], [[Stoke-on-Trent]], [[Staffordshire]].<ref name="englandfootballonline.com"/> He attended [[Hanley High School, Stoke-on-Trent|Hanley High School]].<ref name="englandfootballonline.com"/> Despite playing for the school rugby team, his preferred sport was football. He turned out for his local [[Boys' Brigade]] team and, later, Wellington [[Scouting|Scouts]]. He then moved on to Northwood Mission, where he played at [[Outside forward|outside-right]], alongside [[Bill McGarry]] and [[Basil Hayward]], who would later become his teammates at [[Port Vale F.C.|Port Vale]]. Allen scored 57 goals for the Mission in the 1943–44 season.<ref>Matthews (2005) p. 7</ref>

===Port Vale===
Allen signed amateur forms with Port Vale in December 1944 at the age of 15.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fielding |first1=Rob |title=Five of the best - Port Vale strikers of the 1940s |url=https://www.onevalefan.co.uk/2021/04/five-of-the-best-port-vale-strikers-of-the-1940s/ |access-date=26 April 2021 |work=onevalefan.co.uk |date=26 April 2021 |archive-date=26 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210426155345/https://www.onevalefan.co.uk/2021/04/five-of-the-best-port-vale-strikers-of-the-1940s/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He made his full debut on 2 April 1945 in a 2–2 draw against Wrexham in the [[Football League North]], playing at outside-right and laying on one of Vale's goals. At this point in his life he was a mere {{convert|4|ft|10|in|m}} and weighed under 8 stone (50&nbsp;kg).<ref name=englandfootballonline.com /> He scored his first goal for the club in a 4–3 win against [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]] in August 1945, and in March 1946 signed as a part-time professional, for which he received a [[Pound sterling|£]]10 signing-on fee. The [[1946–47 Port Vale F.C. season|1946–47]] season was the first full season of competitive football in England following the end of the Second World War; Allen made his [[English Football League|Football League]] debut on 7 September 1946 in a 2–1 defeat to [[Exeter City F.C.|Exeter City]]. Due to his [[national service]] commitments, he only made 18 appearances during that season, scoring five goals. He was the [[List of Port Vale F.C. seasons|club's top scorer]] in the [[1947–48 Port Vale F.C. season|1947–48]] season with 13 goals.

Allen joined the [[Royal Air Force]] early in 1947 and represented their football team several times. He was [[Demobilization|demobbed]] on 1 June 1949.<ref>Matthews (2005) pp. 7–10</ref> In total, he played 156 games for the club (including wartime appearances), scoring 40 goals.<ref>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=Jeff|title=Port Vale Personalities|publisher=Witan Books|page=6|year=1996|isbn=0-9529152-0-0|id= {{ASIN|0952915200|country=ca}}}}</ref>

===West Bromwich Albion===
{{Quote box|width=250px|align=right|quote="For three seasons at least, Ronnie Allen was, in my mind, the best centre-forward in the country... There is no doubt that between 1952 and 1955 he was right on top of his game."|source=[[Ray Barlow]]<ref>Matthews (2005) p. 3</ref>}}
Allen was [[Transfer (association football)|transferred]] to [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]] on 2 March 1950 for £20,000, a [[List of West Bromwich Albion F.C. records and statistics|club record]] fee for both clubs at the time.<ref>{{cite book | last = Matthews | first = Tony |author2=Mackenzie, Colin  | title = Albion! A Complete Record of West Bromwich Albion 1879–1987 | publisher = Breedon Books  | year = 1987 | page = 294 | isbn = 0-907969-23-2}}</ref> This was more than double the previous Albion record, set when [[Jackie Vernon (footballer)|Jackie Vernon]] was brought to the club three years earlier. Allen scored on his debut two days later to secure a 1–1 draw against [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]] in a [[Football League First Division|First Division]] match.<ref>{{cite news|title=West Bromwich Albion FC – Baggies|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/west-bromwich-albion-fc-info/|access-date=11 November 2011|newspaper=Express & Star|archive-date=6 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111106070542/http://www.expressandstar.com/west-bromwich-albion-fc-info/|url-status=live}}</ref> The attendance of 60,945 remains a record for a league game at [[The Hawthorns]]. Though only {{convert|5|ft|8|in|m}} and barely {{convert|11|st|kg|lk=on}}, he emerged as a talented striker, helping to define the modern role of target man.<ref name="obit">{{cite news|last=Glanville|first=Brian|title=Fine centre forward too often overlooked by England selectors|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2001/jun/12/guardianobituaries.football/print|access-date=11 November 2011|newspaper=The Guardian|date=12 June 2001|archive-date=24 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240424130334/https://www.theguardian.com/news/2001/jun/12/guardianobituaries.football|url-status=live}}</ref> Signed by [[Jack Smith (footballer, born 1911)|Jack Smith]], he was soon converted from a wide player into a centre-forward.<ref name="englandfootballonline.com"/> Allen also benefited from the ultra-modern training techniques of [[Jesse Carver]], who served Albion as [[Manager (association football)|manager]] for a brief time in the [[1952–53 in English football|1952–53]] campaign.<ref name="obit"/> Carver's successor, [[Vic Buckingham]], also had a [[Total Football]] philosophy and appreciated the [[Association football tactics and skills|technical skill]] Allen possessed, allowing him to play as a deep-lying attacker with room to [[Dribbling|dribble]] at will – a revolutionary position and [[Association football tactics and skills|tactic]].<ref name="englandfootballonline.com"/>

[[Davy Walsh]], the club's top-scorer since the war, was sold on to [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] in December 1950 for a £25,000 fee. Allen managed to fill the 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.<ref name="obit"/> Allen became the club's top-scorer for three successive seasons, hitting ten goals in [[1950–51 Football League|1950–51]], 32 goals in [[1951–52 Football League|1951–52]], and twenty goals in [[1952–53 Football League|1952–53]]. His run was interrupted by Nicholls, who became the top-scorer in [[1953–54 Football League|1953–54]], as the club recorded a second-place finish in the league. During the campaign, Allen scored against former club Port Vale in the [[FA Cup]] semi-final and then scored twice against [[Preston North End F.C.|Preston North End]] in the [[1954 FA Cup final|1954 final]], which Albion won 3–2. He then scored a [[hat-trick]] in the [[1954 FA Charity Shield]] at [[Molineux Stadium|Molineux]], ensuring a 4–4 draw with league champions and [[Black Country derby|Black Country rivals]] Wolverhampton Wanderers. He was [[Football League First Division|First Division]] top scorer in [[1954–55 Football League|1954–55]] with 27 goals,<ref>{{cite web | title=English League Leading Goalscorers 1889–2007 | url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/engtops.html | publisher=[[Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation]] | date=14 June 2007 | access-date=2 September 2007 | archive-date=28 June 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628202228/http://www.rsssf.com/tablese/engtops.html | url-status=live }}</ref> though the "Baggies" struggled in the league, finishing a disappointing 17th.

He became the club's top-scorer for a fifth and final time in [[1955–56 Football League|1955–56]], hitting the net 17 times. Allen's transfer record was broken in March 1956, when the club paid [[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]] £25,000 for [[Bobby Robson]]. The club reached the FA Cup semi-finals again in [[1956–57 FA Cup|1956–57]], only to lose out to [[1957 FA Cup final|eventual winners]] Aston Villa, following a [[Replay (sports)|replay]]. Albion managed to improve their league form in [[1957–58 Football League|1957–58]], finishing fourth, as Robson and [[Derek Kevan]]'s [[Striking partnership|strike partnership]] replaced that of Allen's and Nicholls'. Though Nicholls departed, Allen remained a key member of the first-team, as West Brom finished fifth in [[1958–59 Football League|1958–59]]; he further enhanced his legendary status at Albion by scoring the [[Equaliser (sports)|equaliser]] late in the game against Aston Villa to send Albion's biggest rivals down.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ronnie Allen West Bromwich Albion Memorabilia|url=http://www.midlandsmemorabilia.com/ronnie_allen_west_bromwich_albion_memorabilia.html|work=midlandsmemorabilia.com|access-date=13 November 2011}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> New manager [[Gordon Clark (footballer)|Gordon Clark]] led West Brom to a fourth-place finish in [[1959–60 Football League|1959–60]], which was followed by a tenth-place finish in [[1960–61 Football League|1960–61]].

He scored a total of 234 goals in 458 appearances for West Brom, making him the second-highest scorer in [[History of West Bromwich Albion F.C.|the club's history]], behind [[Tony Brown (footballer, born 1945)|Tony Brown]]. This record also makes him eighth in the club's all-time appearance charts.

===Crystal Palace===
Allen was sold on to [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] for a £4,500 fee in May 1961.<ref name="walsall">{{cite news|title=Past Managers|url=http://www.saddlers.co.uk/page/PastManagers|access-date=11 November 2011|newspaper=saddlers.co.uk|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120601072237/http://www.saddlers.co.uk/page/PastManagers|archive-date=1 June 2012}}</ref> Under [[Arthur Rowe]]'s stewardship, the "Glaziers" finished [[1961–62 Football League|1961–62]] 15th in the [[Football League Third Division|Third Division]]. [[Dick Graham]] then took the reins for the rest of Allen's time at [[Selhurst Park]], as the club struggled in mid-table in [[1962–63 Football League|1962–63]], only to win [[Promotion and relegation|promotion]] as runners-up in [[1963–64 Football League|1963–64]]. Although his appearances in 1963–64 were restricted by injury (to 27), he was officially [[Captain (association football)|captain]] of the side that season.<ref>{{cite book|title=Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–2011|author=Ian King|date=April 2012|page=127|publisher=DB |isbn=9781780910468}}</ref> After scoring a [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]] goal in [[1964–65 Football League|1964–65]], he became the only player to score a Football League goal in the first twenty consecutive seasons of post-war football.<ref name="walsall"/> He left Crystal Palace in March 1965 at 36, having scored 34 goals in 100 league games for the club.<ref name=englandfootballonline.com />

==International career==
Allen made his [[England national football team|England]] debut at the age of 23, in a 3–0 [[Exhibition game|friendly]] win against [[Switzerland national football team|Switzerland]] in [[Zürich]] on 28 May 1952.<ref name="Englandstats Ronnie Allen">{{Englandstats|ref=y|access-date=27 April 2008}}</ref><ref name="Englandstats Switzerland">{{cite web|url=http://www.englandstats.com/matchreport.php?mid=272|title=Switzerland 0 – England 3|publisher=englandstats.com|access-date=27 April 2008|archive-date=22 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522051523/http://www.englandstats.com/matchreport.php?mid=272|url-status=dead}}</ref> He had to wait almost two years for his second [[cap (sport)|cap]], which came against [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]] on 3 April 1954,<ref name="Englandstats Ronnie Allen"/> the same day that his club West Bromwich Albion were playing rivals [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]] in a vital First Division match. Allen scored with a header in the second half to help England beat the Scots 4–2 in the match at [[Hampden Park]], and also had another [[Header (association football)|headed]] goal disallowed.<ref name="Complete Footballer p58">Matthews (2005) p. 58</ref> He also appeared against [[Yugoslavia national football team|Yugoslavia]], and was included in England's initial squad for the [[1954 FIFA World Cup]], but did not make the final travelling party.<ref name="englandfootballonline.com">{{cite web|title=Ronnie Allen|url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamPlyrsBios/PlayersA/BioAllenR.html|work=englandfootballonline.com|access-date=14 November 2011|archive-date=11 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911151818/http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamPlyrsBios/PlayersA/BioAllenR.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Complete Footballer p22">Matthews (2005) p. 22</ref> He nevertheless earned two further [[Cap (sport)|cap]]s, the first of which was a 3–2 win against [[Wales national football team|Wales]] in a [[British Home Championship]] game, and the last of which was against [[Germany national football team|West Germany]] on 1 December 1954.<ref name="englandfootballonline.com"/><ref name="Englandstats Ronnie Allen"/> Allen scored from {{convert|6|yd}} out in a 3–1 [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley]] win against the World champions.<ref name="Complete Footballer p58"/> He was again overlooked in the selection for the [[1958 FIFA World Cup]].<ref name="englandfootballonline.com"/> He was seen to be too far ahead of his time.<ref name=englandfootballonline.com /> On his lack of England caps, Allen himself said, "No two people see the game the same way and everyone is entitled to his own judgement".<ref>Matthews (2005) p. 50</ref> Albion teammate [[Frank Griffin (English footballer)|Frank Griffin]] stated that "There was too much emphasis put on height for England strikers. They all had to be like [[Tommy Lawton|Lawton]] and be over 6ft. He should have played for England more, there was no doubting Allen's sheer skill. That should have been enough."<ref>{{cite news|last=Ellis|first=Vince|title=ENGLAND'S MOST GIFTED STRIKER; Cup final team-mate recalls pint-sized menace with two wonderful feet...|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/ENGLAND%27S+MOST+GIFTED+STRIKER%3b+Cup+final+team-mate+recalls+pint-sized...-a075627609|access-date=11 November 2011|newspaper=Sunday Mercury|date=17 June 2001|archive-date=20 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150220013850/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/ENGLAND%27S+MOST+GIFTED+STRIKER%3b+Cup+final+team-mate+recalls+pint-sized...-a075627609|url-status=live}}</ref>

In addition to scoring two goals in five full internationals, he also appeared twice for the [[England B national football team|England B team]]; both matches took place in 1954.<ref name="England B results">{{cite web|last=Courtney|first=Barrie|date=21 March 2004|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/eng-b-intres-det.html|title=England – International Results B-Team – Details|publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation|access-date=27 April 2008|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032317/http://www.rsssf.com/tablese/eng-b-intres-det.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He also scored twice for England B when they beat a Sheffield XI 5–4 in October 1957. However, this match is not included in the England B records compiled by RSSSF.<ref name="Complete Footballer p58"/><ref name="England B results"/> Allen travelled with England to the [[1958 FIFA World Cup|1958]] and [[1982 FIFA World Cup|1982]] World Cups as the team's official interpreter.<ref name="Complete Footballer p22"/>

==Style of play==
Allen was a skilful and intelligent forward player who used his speed rather than his physique to get the better of opposition defenders.<ref name="obit"/> He was an accomplished [[Passing (association football)|passer]] of the ball, able to make pinpoint through passes at both short and long range.<ref name="obit"/> He had fantastic vision on the ball, and could play with both feet.<ref name="17 Nov 2008"/> He also had a powerful [[Shooting (association football)|shot]], was an accomplished [[Penalty kick (association football)|penalty]] taker, and could [[Volley (association football)|volley]] the ball with ease.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ronnie Allen Story|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/RONNIE+ALLEN+STORY.-a075627608|access-date=11 November 2011|newspaper=Sunday Mercury|date=17 June 2001|archive-date=20 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150220120509/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/RONNIE+ALLEN+STORY.-a075627608|url-status=live}}</ref> The official West Brom website describes Allen as "the complete footballer", and compares him to the Hungarian legend [[Ferenc Puskás]].<ref name="17 Nov 2008"/>

==Managerial career==
In March 1965, Allen joined [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]] as senior [[Coach (sport)|coach]], working under manager [[Andy Beattie]]. Following Beattie's departure, Allen replaced him as manager in September 1965, just after their [[promotion and relegation|relegation]] to the [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]]. He signed quality players, bringing names such as [[Derek Dougan]] and [[Mike Bailey (footballer)|Mike Bailey]] to [[Molineux Stadium|Molineux]].<ref name="englandfootballonline.com"/> He guided them to promotion in [[1966–67 Football League|1966–67]], and Wolves consolidated their top-flight status in [[1967–68 Football League|1967–68]]. However, he was sacked in November 1968,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thewolvessite.co.uk/managers.htm|title=Wolves Managers From 1885 to Present Day|access-date=14 August 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002192056/http://www.thewolvessite.co.uk/managers.htm|archive-date=2 October 2011}}</ref><ref>Matthews (2005) pp. 37–38</ref> and replaced by former Port Vale teammate [[Bill McGarry]].

Allen took up the post of manager at Spanish club [[Athletic Bilbao]] in the summer of 1969, replacing [[Rafael Iriondo]]. He led Athletic to the runners-up spot in [[La Liga]] in [[1969–70 La Liga|1969–70]], as they finished one point behind [[Atlético Madrid]]. In [[1970–71 La Liga|1970–71]] the ''Lions'' finished fifth, eight points behind champions [[Valencia CF]]. He remained at the club until November 1971, leaving shortly after being eliminated from the [[1971–72 UEFA Cup|UEFA Cup]] by [[Eintracht Braunschweig]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://athletic.elcorreo.com/noticias/2009-09-20/ingleses-alemanes-20090920.html|title=Ingleses y alemanes (El Athletic en Copa de Ferias y UEFA, pt VI)|trans-title=English and Germans (Athletic in the Fairs Cup and UEFA Cup, part VI)|newspaper=[[El Correo]]|language=es|date=20 September 2009|access-date=27 July 2017|archive-date=29 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170729221036/http://athletic.elcorreo.com/noticias/2009-09-20/ingleses-alemanes-20090920.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>Matthews (2005) pp. 38–40</ref>

He was appointed manager at Portuguese side [[Sporting Clube de Portugal|Sporting CP]] for the [[1972–73 Primeira Divisão|1972–73]] campaign. He was sacked before the end of the season due to a poor showing in the [[Primeira Liga]] – the club ended up in fifth place, equalling their worst-ever finish, despite the goalscoring form of [[Héctor Yazalde]]. Champions [[S.L. Benfica]] won 28 of their 30 league games. Despite their league form, new manager Mário Lino did lead Sporting to their ninth [[Taça de Portugal]] success after defeating [[Vitória F.C.|Vitória]] 3–2 at the [[Estádio Nacional]].

He returned to the Midlands to take up the management reins at [[Walsall F.C.|Walsall]] in July 1973.<ref name="walsall"/> However, he spent just six months in charge at [[Fellows Park]].<ref name="walsall"/> The "Sadders" finished the [[1973–74 Football League|1973–74]] campaign 15th in the [[Football League Third Division|Third Division]]. He returned to [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]] as a [[Scout (association football)|scout]]ing advisor in January 1977 before being installed as manager six months later.<ref name="17 Nov 2008"/> He 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]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Rees|first1=Paul|title=The Three Degrees: The Men who Changed British Football Forever|date=2014|publisher=Constable|isbn=978-1-4721-1926-1|page=46}}</ref> He stepped down in December, to take up the financially lucrative post as advisor to the [[Saudi Arabia national football team]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wba.co.uk/news/2013/november/top-10-most-prolific-goalscorers7/|title=Top 10 Most Prolific Goalscorers - 1954 Cup winner at 4|publisher=West Bromwich Albion FC|work=official website|date=18 November 2013|access-date=1 August 2017|archive-date=2 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802040524/https://www.wba.co.uk/news/2013/november/top-10-most-prolific-goalscorers7/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="17 Nov 2008"/> He returned to management in June 1980, this time at Greek club [[Panathinaikos F.C.|Panathinaikos]].<ref name="walsall"/> Again he enjoyed only a short reign, and was gone within six months.<ref name="walsall"/> In his absence, the "Greens" [[1980–81 Alpha Ethniki|finished fifth]] in the [[Superleague Greece]].

He returned to [[the Hawthorns]] as manager again in July 1981,<ref name="17 Nov 2008"/> succeeding [[Ron Atkinson]] – who had just moved to [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]]. Two of Albion's finest players, [[Remi Moses]] and [[Bryan Robson]], soon joined Atkinson at [[Old Trafford]], and this hurt Albion's previously good league fortunes.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Rees|first1=Paul|title=The Three Degrees: The Men who Changed British Football Forever|date=2014|publisher=Constable|isbn=978-1-4721-1926-1|page=244}}</ref> He signed [[Steve MacKenzie]], [[Andy King (footballer, born 1956)|Andy King]], [[Martin Jol]], and [[Romeo Zondervan]]; none of whom would prove particularly effective.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Rees|first1=Paul|title=The Three Degrees: The Men Who Changed British Football Forever|date=2014|publisher=Constable|isbn=978-1-4721-1926-1|page=245}}</ref> Albion did well in the cup competitions, reaching the semi-finals of both the [[FA Cup]] and the [[EFL Cup|League Cup]], although they suffered an early exit from the [[UEFA Europa League|UEFA Cup]]. But Allen could not put together a good run of form in the [[Football League First Division|First Division]], and Albion only stayed up after winning their final game of the season. He then ended his managerial career in May 1982, choosing instead to work as the club's general manager.<ref name="17 Nov 2008"/> He stepped down from this post in June 1983, though he continued to coach and scout for the club during his retirement until 1996.<ref name=englandfootballonline.com /><ref name="17 Nov 2008"/> He even played in a [[testimonial match]] at [[Cheltenham Town F.C.|Cheltenham]] in 1995, at the age of 66.<ref name=englandfootballonline.com />

==Personal life and legacy==
His autobiography, ''It's Goals That Count,'' with a foreword by [[Vic Buckingham]], was published in 1955.<ref>{{cite web |title=West Bromwich Albion Memorabilia Pre 1960 for sale |url=http://www.midlandsmemorabilia.com/west_bromwich_albion_memorabilia_pre_1960.html |website=midlandsmemorabilia.com |access-date=10 March 2020 |archive-date=10 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190310173741/http://midlandsmemorabilia.com/west_bromwich_albion_memorabilia_pre_1960.html |url-status=usurped }}</ref> He had a son, [[Russell Allen (footballer)|Russell Allen]], who started his career at West Brom, before playing close to 300 league games at [[Tranmere Rovers F.C.|Tranmere Rovers]] and [[Mansfield Town F.C.|Mansfield Town]] between 1971 and 1981.<ref name=englandfootballonline.com />

Ronnie Allen died suffering with [[Alzheimer's disease]] on 9 June 2001 in Hardwick Court Nursing Home, [[Great Wyrley]], Staffordshire.<ref name="englandfootballonline.com"/> West Bromwich Albion's pre-season friendly against Athletic Bilbao later that summer was designated as the "Ronnie Allen Memorial Match", in recognition of his contribution to both clubs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espnfc.com/england/news/2001/0715/20010715_westbrom_995201517.html|title=Bilbao game in memory of Ronnie Allen|publisher=[[ESPN]] soccernet|date=15 July 2001|access-date=5 November 2017|archive-date=7 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107023050/http://www.espnfc.com/england/news/2001/0715/20010715_westbrom_995201517.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.albiontillwedie.co.uk/images/programmes/0102/home/athleticbilbaofr.jpg|title=Home programmes 2001-02: Ronnie Allen Memorial Match|publisher=Albion Till We Die|access-date=5 November 2017|archive-date=7 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107024859/http://www.albiontillwedie.co.uk/images/programmes/0102/home/athleticbilbaofr.jpg|url-status=live}}</ref> A minute's silence was held before [[Kick-off (association football)|kick-off]] and proceeds from the match donated to the [[Alzheimer's Society]],<ref>{{cite news|date=1 August 2001|url=http://www.wba.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/0,,10366~79298,00.html|title=Thanks for the memory|publisher=West Bromwich Albion F.C.|access-date=20 May 2008}}{{Dead link|date=August 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> a disease he had been diagnosed with in later life.<ref name=englandfootballonline.com /> Allen had himself played and scored the only goal for West Brom in a testimonial match for Athletic's long serving player [[Agustín Gaínza]] in 1958,<ref name="abroad"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.albiontillwedie.co.uk/seasonarchive/results/1957-58.html|title=Results 1957-58|publisher=Albion Till We Die|access-date=5 November 2017|archive-date=7 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107014934/http://www.albiontillwedie.co.uk/seasonarchive/results/1957-58.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and while managing the Spanish side in 1971 he had arranged two [[Exhibition game|friendlies]] between the clubs for the benefit of [[Bobby Hope]] and [[José Ángel Iribar]].<ref name="abroad">{{cite book|last=Matthews|first=Tony|title=Baggies Abroad: The Complete Record of West Bromwich Albion's Global Travels|year=2015|publisher=Pitch Publishing |isbn=9781785310997}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.albiontillwedie.co.uk/seasonarchive/results/1970-71.html|title=Results 1970–71|publisher=Albion Till We Die|access-date=5 November 2017|archive-date=9 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309213815/http://www.albiontillwedie.co.uk/seasonarchive/results/1970-71.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2004 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.<ref>{{cite news|date=4 August 2004|url=http://www.wba.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/0,,10366~547701,00.html|title=The wraps come off 125th anniversary mural|publisher=West Bromwich Albion F.C.|access-date=17 April 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080202125701/http://www.wba.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/0%2C%2C10366~547701%2C00.html|archive-date=2 February 2008}}</ref>

==Career statistics==
===Club===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition<ref>{{ENFA}}</ref>
|-
!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
!colspan="3"|League
!colspan="2"|FA Cup
!colspan="2"|Other
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="6"|[[Port Vale F.C.|Port Vale]]
|[[1945–46 FA Cup|1945–46]]
|
|0||0||6||2||0||0||6||2
|-
|[[1946–47 Port Vale F.C. season|1946–47]]
|[[Football League Third Division South|Third Division South]]
|18||5||0||0||0||0||18||5
|-
|[[1947–48 Port Vale F.C. season|1947–48]]
|Third Division South
|38||13||1||0||0||0||39||13
|-
|[[1948–49 Port Vale F.C. season|1948–49]]
|Third Division South
|40||10||1||0||0||0||41||10
|-
|[[1949–50 Port Vale F.C. season|1949–50]]
|Third Division South
|27||6||4||2||0||0||31||8
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!123!!34!!12!!4!!0!!0!!135!!38
|-
|rowspan="13"|[[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]]
|[[1949–50 West Bromwich Albion F.C. season|1949–50]]
|[[Football League First Division|First Division]]
|11||5||0||0||0||0||11||5
|-
|[[1950–51 West Bromwich Albion F.C. season|1950–51]]
|First Division
|40||10||2||0||0||0||42||10
|-
|[[1951–52 West Bromwich Albion F.C. season|1951–52]]
|First Division
|40||32||2||3||0||0||42||36
|-
|[[1952–53 West Bromwich Albion F.C. season|1952–53]]
|First Division
|41||20||5||1||0||0||46||21
|-
|[[1953–54 West Bromwich Albion F.C. season|1953–54]]
|First Division
|39||27||6||7||0||0||45||34
|-
|[[1954–55 West Bromwich Albion F.C. season|1954–55]]
|First Division
|42||27||2||0||1||3||45||30
|-
|[[1955–56 West Bromwich Albion F.C. season|1955–56]]
|First Division
|34||17||3||1||0||0||37||18
|-
|[[1956–57 West Bromwich Albion F.C. season|1956–57]]
|First Division
|37||10||9||5||0||0||46||15
|-
|[[1957–58 West Bromwich Albion F.C. season|1957–58]]
|First Division
|39||22||6||6||0||0||45||28
|-
|[[1958–59 West Bromwich Albion F.C. season|1958–59]]
|First Division
|36||17||3||0||0||0||39||17
|-
|[[1959–60 West Bromwich Albion F.C. season|1959–60]]
|First Division
|36||15||3||0||0||0||39||15
|-
|[[1960–61 West Bromwich Albion F.C. season|1960–61]]
|First Division
|20||6||1||0||0||0||21||6
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!415!!208!!42!!23!!1!!3!!458!!234
|-
|rowspan="5"|[[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]]
|[[1961–62 Crystal Palace F.C. season|1961–62]]
|[[Football League Third Division|Third Division]]
|28||13||2||0||1||0||31||13
|-
|[[1962–63 Crystal Palace F.C. season|1962–63]]
|Third Division
|36||11||3||1||1||0||40||12
|-
|[[1963–64 Crystal Palace F.C. season|1963–64]]
|Third Division
|27||7||2||2||0||0||29||9
|-
|[[1964–65 Crystal Palace F.C. season|1964–65]]
|[[Football League Second Division|Second Division]]
|9||3||0||0||0||0||9||3
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!100!!34!!7!!3!!2!!0!!109!!37
|-
!colspan="3"|Career total
!638!!276!!61!!30!!3!!3!!702!!309
|}

===International===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year<ref>{{cite web|title=Ronnie Allen|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/24871/Ronnie_Allen.html|website=national-football-teams.com|access-date=7 August 2015|archive-date=6 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306103124/http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/24871/Ronnie_Allen.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
!National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[England national football team|England]]
|1952||1||0
|-
|1953||0||0
|-
|1954||4||2
|-
!colspan="2"|Total!!5!!2
|}

:''Scores and results list England's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Allen goal.''

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Ronnie Allen
|-
!scope="col"|No.
!scope="col"|Date
!scope="col"|Venue
!scope="col"|Opponent
!scope="col"|Score
!scope="col"|Result
!scope="col"|Competition
!scope="col" class="unsortable"|{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
|style="text-align:center"|1
|{{dts|3 April 1954}}
|[[Hampden Park]], [[Glasgow]], Scotland
|{{fb|Scotland}}
|style="text-align:center"|3–1
|style="text-align:center"|4–2
|[[1954 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|<ref>{{Cite web|title=Scotland v England, 03 April 1954|url=https://www.11v11.com/matches/scotland-v-england-03-april-1954-226337/|website=11v11|access-date=23 October 2024}}</ref>
|-
|style="text-align:center"|2
|{{dts|1 December 1954}}
|[[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]], [[London]], England
|{{fb|West Germany}}
|style="text-align:center"|2–0
|style="text-align:center"|3–1
|[[Friendly (association football)|Friendly]]
|<ref>{{Cite web|title=England v West Germany, 01 December 1954|url=https://www.11v11.com/matches/england-v-west-germany-01-december-1954-226442/|website=11v11|access-date=23 October 2024}}</ref>
|}

===Managerial===
{| class=wikitable style="text-align: center"
|+ Managerial record by team and tenure
|-
!rowspan=2|Team
!rowspan=2|From
!rowspan=2|To
!colspan=5|Record
|-
!{{abbr|P|Matches played}}!!{{abbr|W|Matches won}}!!{{abbr|D|Matches drawn}}!!{{abbr|L|Matches lost}}!!{{abbr|Win %|Win percentage}}
|-
|align=left|[[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]]
|align=left|19 September 1965
|align=left|17 November 1968
{{WDL|150|66|35|49|decimals=1}}
|-
|align=left|[[Los Angeles Wolves]]
|align=left|May 1967
|align=left|15 July 1967
{{WDL|13|6|5|2|decimals=1}}
|-
|align=left|[[Athletic Bilbao]]
|align=left|September 1969
|align=left|November 1971
{{WDL|88|40|21|27|decimals=1}}
|-
|align=left|[[Walsall F.C.|Walsall]]
|align=left|6 July 1973
|align=left|20 December 1973
{{WDL|26|6|9|11|decimals=1}}
|-
|align=left|[[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]]
|align=left|21 June 1977
|align=left|22 December 1977
{{WDL|22|11|7|4|decimals=1}}
|-
|align=left|West Bromwich Albion
|align=left|1 July 1981
|align=left|31 May 1982
{{WDL|58|19|15|24|decimals=1}}
|-
!colspan=3|Total
{{WDLtot|357|148|92|117|decimals=1}}
|}

==Honours==
'''West Bromwich Albion'''
*[[FA Cup]]: [[1953–54 FA Cup|1953–54]]<ref>{{cite book |first1=Leslie |first2=Jack |last1=Vernon |last2=Rollin |title=Rothmans Football Yearbook 1977–78 |year=1977 |publisher=Brickfield Publications Ltd |location=London |isbn=0354-09018-6 |page=490}}</ref>
*[[FA Charity Shield]]: [[1954 FA Charity Shield|1954]] (shared)

'''Crystal Palace'''
*[[Football League Third Division]] second-place promotion: [[1963–64 Football League|1963–64]]

'''Wolverhampton Wanderers'''
*[[Football League Second Division]] second-place promotion: [[1966–67 Football League|1966–67]]

'''Los Angeles Wolves'''
*[[United Soccer Association]]: [[USA final 1967|1967]]

'''England'''
*[[British Home Championship]]: [[1953–54 British Home Championship|1953–54]], [[1954–55 British Home Championship|1954–55]]<ref name=englandfootballonline.com />

==References==
'''General'''
*Allen, R (1955) ''It's goals that count'' ([http://www.copac.ac.uk/copac/wzgw?id=6406810&f=u&esn=F&rsn=2&rn=1 COPAC record]{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }})
* {{cite book | last = Matthews | first = Tony | title = The Complete Footballer: The Ronnie Allen Story | publisher = Tony Matthews | year = 2005}}

'''Specific'''
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Englandstats}}
* [https://archive.today/20130127170010/http://www.leaguemanagers.com/managers/history-995.html Managerial career] at leaguemanagers.com
* {{BDFutbol manager|7431}}

{{English First Division/Premier League top scorers}}
{{Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. managers}}
{{Athletic Bilbao managers}}
{{Sporting Clube de Portugal managers}}
{{Walsall F.C. managers}}
{{West Bromwich Albion F.C. managers}}
{{Panathinaikos FC managers}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Ronnie}}
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