Paul Allen

Paul Kevin Allen (born 28 August 1962) is an English former professional footballer and delegate liaison officer for the Professional Footballers' Association. As a player, he was a midfielder who notably played top flight football for West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton, with appearance for Spurs and the Saints in the Premier League. He also played in the Football League for Luton Town, Stoke City, Swindon Town, Bristol City and Millwall. He won three caps for England at under-21 level. Career At 17 years and 256 days old, Allen's appearance for West Ham United against Arsenal in the 1980 FA Cup Final made him the youngest player to appear in an FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium, though James Prinsep played at a younger age at Kennington Oval in 1879. Both records have since been broken. His debut for West Ham had come on 29 September 1979 when 32 days after his 17th birthday he had appeared for the club in their 2–1 home win over Burnley in the Second Division. He collected a Second Division title medal for the Hammers in 1980–81 and helped re-establish them as a First Division side. He made 152 league appearances for the Hammers, scoring six goals, before a £400,000 fee took him to their London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on 19 June 1985. He scored on his debut in an emphatic 4–0 win at White Hart Lane versus Watford. Allen went on to play in two FA Cup finals for Tottenham Hotspur, on the losing side in 1987 alongside his cousin Clive Allen. However, Allen was victorious in the 1991 FA Cup defeating Nottingham Forest 2–1. In eight years with Tottenham, he played 292 league games and scored 23 goals. He was voted player of the year for the 1992–93 season, his final full season at White Hart Lane.