Born on the 28th August 1962, Paul Allen became the youngest player to play in a Wembley FA Cup final, when he appeared for West Ham in their 1-0 win over Arsenal in 1980.
In 1985, when still only 22 years old, Allen saw the light and joined the mighty Spurs for £400,000. He made his debut in a 4-0 win over Watford. In total Allen made 370 appearances for Tottenham ,scoring 28 goals.
It’s fair to say that Paul Allen was something of an unsung hero at Spurs. He was a vital part of David Pleat’s 1986/87 side, that played with a then revolutionary 4-5-1 formation. In a side that featured the likes of Glenn Hoddle, Chris Waddle, Ossie Ardiles and cousin Clive, Paul Allen was a vital cog in the machine.
Allen was also a vital part of the Gascoigne/Lineker Spurs vintage, which won the FA Cup in 1991. Indeed, Gascoigne named him as one of the best players that he played alongside. Considering that Allen combined footballing ability with a great work rate, it is a shame that he was never given a chance at international level.
He will always be held in high esteem though by those that saw him at Tottenham and has been inducted as a member of our hall of fame. Paul’s birthday seems the perfect excuse to host this video of our road to Wembley in 1991, where he can be seen creating a number of goals en-route.