Ian Allinson
Encyclopedia
Ian James Robert Allinson (born 1 October 1957) is an English
former football
player and manager.
, Hertfordshire
, and joined Colchester United
as a schoolboy in 1974. He spent nine years with them, playing usually as a striker
. He was the club's top scorer for two seasons, as Colchester were first relegated from the Third Division
to the Fourth
in 1976, only to bounce back a year later, before getting relegated again in 1981.
After a bureaucratic blunder, Allinson's registration with Colchester expired in 1983, and he signed for First Division
Arsenal
on a free transfer in the summer of 1983. His debut came at home to Walsall
on 29 November 1983, in the League Cup
a match that Arsenal surprisingly lost 2-1; the result ultimately led to Arsenal manager Terry Neill
being sacked a few weeks later. However, despite the nightmare start, Allinson continued to be picked for Arsenal and fully broke into the first team in the 1984-85
season; along with Brian Talbot
and Tony Woodcock
he was the club's top goalscorer in the League with ten that season.
By now, Allinson played more often in midfield
than up front; he possessed plenty of pace and could cross the ball well. However, in 1986 Neill's successor, Don Howe left Arsenal and was ultimately replaced by George Graham
; the Scotsman did not rate Allinson as highly as his predecessor had done, and Allinson found himself mainly being used as a substitute in 1986-87
(13 of his 21 appearances that season were where he had come off the bench). Allinson was to have one historic moment of glory that season, though; in Arsenal's League Cup semi-final replay against deadly rivals Tottenham Hotspur
on 4 March 1987 and with Arsenal 1-0 down, Allinson came on as substitute and scored the equaliser. David Rocastle
scored the winner, and Arsenal went on to win the Cup over Liverpool
in the final.
Allinson played no part in the final, and despite his heroic contribution was seen as surplus to requirements at Highbury
. In the summer of 1987 Allinson was given a free transfer by Arsenal. In all he played 105 matches for Arsenal and scored 23 goals. He joined Stoke City
, but his time there was short-lived and he signed for Luton Town
for £10,000 in October the same year. After a year and 32 league appearances for Luton, he moved to back to Colchester United (still in the Fourth Division) in December 1988; unfortunately for him, in his last professional season (1989-90
) the club were relegated to the Conference
.
After retiring, Allinson moved into management, and spent spells in charge of various non-league clubs, including a fairly successful stint at Harlow Town
, before joining Boreham Wood
as manager in January 2004. He left the club after twelve months, but was persuaded to return to the club as Director of Football in the summer of 2005.
Allinson left the club in 2006, to take over as manager of Stotfold
but has since returned to Boreham Wood for a second spell. The club currently reside in the Blue Square Bet South.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former football
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...
player and manager.
Career
Allinson was born in StevenageStevenage
Stevenage is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England. It is situated to the east of junctions 7 and 8 of the A1, and is between Letchworth Garden City to the north, and Welwyn Garden City to the south....
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, and joined Colchester United
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
as a schoolboy in 1974. He spent nine years with them, playing usually as a striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
. He was the club's top scorer for two seasons, as Colchester were first relegated from the Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
to the Fourth
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
in 1976, only to bounce back a year later, before getting relegated again in 1981.
After a bureaucratic blunder, Allinson's registration with Colchester expired in 1983, and he signed for First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
on a free transfer in the summer of 1983. His debut came at home to Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
on 29 November 1983, in the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
a match that Arsenal surprisingly lost 2-1; the result ultimately led to Arsenal manager Terry Neill
Terry Neill
William John Terence "Terry" Neill is a Northern Ireland former football player and manager.-Playing career:Born in Belfast, Neill played as a youth for Bangor, before moving in December 1959 to Arsenal. He spent a year in Arsenal's youth side, before making his debut against Sheffield Wednesday...
being sacked a few weeks later. However, despite the nightmare start, Allinson continued to be picked for Arsenal and fully broke into the first team in the 1984-85
1984-85 in English football
The 1984–85 season was the 105th season of competitive football in England.-Bradford City disaster:56 spectators died and more than 200 were injured when a fire ripped through the Main Stand at Valley Parade during Bradford City's Third Division fixture with Lincoln City on 11 May...
season; along with Brian Talbot
Brian Talbot
Brian Ernest Talbot is an English football manager and former player. His son is Daniel Talbot.-Playing career:...
and Tony Woodcock
Tony Woodcock
Anthony Stewart "Tony" Woodcock is a retired English international footballer who played professionally in both England and Germany as a striker. He won the European Cup in 1979 with Nottingham Forest.-Early career:...
he was the club's top goalscorer in the League with ten that season.
By now, Allinson played more often in midfield
Midfield
Midfield is the part of a sports pitch that lies approximately in the center. It is a term most commonly associated with football to refer to the area in and around the center circle, as well as the players who occupy that region, but it can be used in field hockey to describe the same area, or in...
than up front; he possessed plenty of pace and could cross the ball well. However, in 1986 Neill's successor, Don Howe left Arsenal and was ultimately replaced by George Graham
George Graham (footballer)
George Graham is a Scottish former football player and manager. He is best remembered for his success at Arsenal, as a player in the 1970s and then as manager from 1986 until 1995.-Early life:...
; the Scotsman did not rate Allinson as highly as his predecessor had done, and Allinson found himself mainly being used as a substitute in 1986-87
1986-87 in English football
The 1986–87 season was the 107th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :The First Division championship went to Everton in their final season under the management of Howard Kendall before his departure to Athletic Bilbao. His side overcame a spate of injuries to fight off...
(13 of his 21 appearances that season were where he had come off the bench). Allinson was to have one historic moment of glory that season, though; in Arsenal's League Cup semi-final replay against deadly rivals Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
on 4 March 1987 and with Arsenal 1-0 down, Allinson came on as substitute and scored the equaliser. David Rocastle
David Rocastle
David Carlyle Rocastle, nicknamed Rocky, was an English football player, who spent the majority of his career at Arsenal...
scored the winner, and Arsenal went on to win the Cup over 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 final.
Allinson played no part in the final, and despite his heroic contribution was seen as surplus to requirements at Highbury
Arsenal Stadium
Arsenal Stadium was a football stadium in Highbury, North London, which was the home ground of Arsenal Football Club between 6 September 1913 and 7 May 2006...
. In the summer of 1987 Allinson was given a free transfer by Arsenal. In all he played 105 matches for Arsenal and scored 23 goals. He joined Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
, but his time there was short-lived and he signed for Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
for £10,000 in October the same year. After a year and 32 league appearances for Luton, he moved to back to Colchester United (still in the Fourth Division) in December 1988; unfortunately for him, in his last professional season (1989-90
1989-90 in English football
-European competitions:English clubs were still banned from competing in European competitions following the Heysel Stadium disaster.- First Division :...
) the club were relegated to the Conference
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
.
After retiring, Allinson moved into management, and spent spells in charge of various non-league clubs, including a fairly successful stint at Harlow Town
Harlow Town F.C.
Harlow Town F.C. are an English football club based in Harlow, Essex. The club currently play in the Division One North of the Isthmian League, after relegation from the Isthmian League Premier Division in 2009....
, before joining Boreham Wood
Boreham Wood F.C.
Boreham Wood F.C. are a football club based in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, at Meadow Park football ground. They were established in 1948, and have reached the FA Cup 2nd Round proper twice in their history. For 2011-12 they will play in Conference South...
as manager in January 2004. He left the club after twelve months, but was persuaded to return to the club as Director of Football in the summer of 2005.
Allinson left the club in 2006, to take over as manager of Stotfold
Stotfold F.C.
Stotfold F.C. is a football club based at Stotfold, Bedfordshire, England.-History:Though the club was officially formed in 1904, it is believed that there was a football club in the town earlier than this. In 1911, the Eagles’ current ground was a meadow called "Roker", used by Stotfold Athletic...
but has since returned to Boreham Wood for a second spell. The club currently reside in the Blue Square Bet South.
External links
- Photos and stats at sporting-heroes.net