George Allan (footballer)
Encyclopedia
George Allan was a Scottish international
footballer
who played for Liverpool
in the late 19th century.
, West Lothian
, Scotland
, the Centre-forward played for Vale of Avon, Linlithgow Athletic, Broxburn Shamrock and Leith Athletic before being signed by Liverpool manager John McKenna
and W. E. Barclay
in September 1895. The 20 year old Allan made quite an impact for Liverpool after making his debut in a Football League Second Division
match a 5-1 home thumping of Newcastle
on 14 September 1895, he scored his first goal for the club 7 days later on the 21 September against Loughborough Town at the Athletic Ground. This sparked an impressive goals per game run for the rest of the 1985/96 promotion season, he bagged an amazing 25 league goals from just 20 appearances, averaging 1.25 goals per games, Allan scored a further 3 goals in the promotion Test matches (the equivalent of today's play-offs) helping the Anfield
club regain their spot back in the top flight of English football.
Allan moved to Celtic
in May 1897 where he carried on his goalscoring exploits hitting 15 goals in 17 games helping the Parkhead
club win the Scottish First Division
, he returned to Anfield a year later when new manager Tom Watson
re-signed him in April 1898.
Allan scored 58 goals in only 96 appearances during his 2 spells at Liverpool, an average of a goal every 1.65 games.
He made his only Scotland appearance on 3 April 1897 in a 2-1 victory against England
at Crystal Palace.
Allan was a prolific goalscorer who could have gone on to be one of the all-time greats, but his life was cut short when he contracted tuberculosis in 1899 during his second spell at Liverpool; he was forced to give up playing and died of the condition on 17 October.
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played for Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
in the late 19th century.
Life and playing career
Born in LinlithgowLinlithgow
Linlithgow is a Royal Burgh in West Lothian, Scotland. An ancient town, it lies south of its two most prominent landmarks: Linlithgow Palace and Linlithgow Loch, and north of the Union Canal....
, West Lothian
West Lothian
West Lothian is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland, and a Lieutenancy area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, North Lanarkshire, the Scottish Borders and South Lanarkshire....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, the Centre-forward played for Vale of Avon, Linlithgow Athletic, Broxburn Shamrock and Leith Athletic before being signed by Liverpool manager John McKenna
John McKenna
John McKenna , born in County Monaghan, Ireland, was a self-made businessman and former rugby player, who was the first manager of Liverpool....
and W. E. Barclay
W. E. Barclay
William E. Barclay was the first manager of Everton and also the first manager of Liverpool, working with club secretary John McKenna.His time at Everton was short managing them for their first 22 games...
in September 1895. The 20 year old Allan made quite an impact for Liverpool after making his debut in a Football League Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
match a 5-1 home thumping of Newcastle
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
on 14 September 1895, he scored his first goal for the club 7 days later on the 21 September against Loughborough Town at the Athletic Ground. This sparked an impressive goals per game run for the rest of the 1985/96 promotion season, he bagged an amazing 25 league goals from just 20 appearances, averaging 1.25 goals per games, Allan scored a further 3 goals in the promotion Test matches (the equivalent of today's play-offs) helping the Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
club regain their spot back in the top flight of English football.
Allan moved to Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
in May 1897 where he carried on his goalscoring exploits hitting 15 goals in 17 games helping the Parkhead
Parkhead
Parkhead is a district in the East End of Glasgow. Its name comes from a small weaving hamlet at the meeting place of the Great Eastern Road and Westmuir Street. Duke Street and Springfield Road also meet there, to form a turreted Edwardian five-way junction at Parkhead Cross...
club win the Scottish First Division
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
, he returned to Anfield a year later when new manager Tom Watson
Tom Watson (football)
Tom Watson was an English football manager who managed Sunderland A.F.C. and Liverpool F.C. around the turn of the 20th century....
re-signed him in April 1898.
Allan scored 58 goals in only 96 appearances during his 2 spells at Liverpool, an average of a goal every 1.65 games.
He made his only Scotland appearance on 3 April 1897 in a 2-1 victory against England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
at Crystal Palace.
Allan was a prolific goalscorer who could have gone on to be one of the all-time greats, but his life was cut short when he contracted tuberculosis in 1899 during his second spell at Liverpool; he was forced to give up playing and died of the condition on 17 October.
Career details
As a player:- Liverpool FC (1895 - 1897 & 1898 - 1899): 96 appearances, 58 goals - Football League Second Division winner's medal (1896)
- Scotland (1897): 1 appearance