Editing Martin Allen (section)

==Playing career==
Often referred to by his nickname of "Mad Dog", Allen began his career with [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]], signing professional in 1983 and spending six years at [[Loftus Road]] playing in the [[1986 Football League Cup final|1986 League Cup final]] defeat against [[Oxford United F.C.|Oxford United]], before a £670,000 move to [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]]. Signed by manager [[Lou Macari]], Allen made his debut on 26 August 1989 in a 3–2 home win against [[Plymouth Argyle F.C.|Plymouth Argyle]]. He scored the second goal, the other West Ham goals coming from [[David Kelly (association footballer)|David Kelly]] and [[Kevin Keen]].<ref name=whudebut>{{cite web|title=West Ham United v Plymouth Argyle, 26 August 1989|url=http://www.11v11.com/matches/west-ham-united-v-plymouth-argyle-26-august-1989-123690/|publisher=www.11v11.com|access-date=20 September 2012}}</ref> Under manager [[Billy Bonds]] Allen was part of the team which won promotion to the [[Football League First Division|First Division]] in 1991 and to the [[Premier League]] in 1993.<ref name=whustats>{{cite web|title=Welcome to the Wonderful World of West Ham United Statistics|url=http://www.westhamstats.info/westham.php?west=2&ham=6&united=Martin_Allen|publisher=www.westhamstats.info|access-date=20 September 2012}}</ref> Allen was frequently [[Yellow card (sports)|booked]] during his West Ham career and had a reputation for poor discipline.<ref name=red1>{{cite book|last=Powles|first=John|title=Seeing Red for The Claret and Blue|year=2012|publisher=SoccerData|location=Hockley, Essex|isbn=978-1-905891-54-2|page=58}}</ref> He was  [[Red card (sports)|sent off]] in a match on 17 January 1990 for a two-footed lunge on [[Derby County F.C.|Derby County]]'s [[Mark Patterson (footballer born 1968)|Mark Patterson]].<ref name=red>{{cite book|last=Powles|first=John|title=Seeing Red for The Claret and Blue|year=2012|publisher=SoccerData|location=Hockley, Essex|isbn=978-1-905891-54-2|page=49}}</ref> During a game on 30 November 1991 against [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]], managed by Allen's manager at Queens Park Rangers, [[Trevor Francis]], Allen was booked after only 20 seconds of being on the pitch for a jump tackle on [[Carlton Palmer]] which saw Palmer carried off with a suspected broken leg. Although not sent-off, West Ham manager Bonds fined Allen a week's wages.<ref name=red2>{{cite book|last=Powles|first=John|title=Seeing Red for The Claret and Blue|year=2012|publisher=SoccerData|location=Hockley, Essex|isbn=978-1-905891-54-2|page=52}}</ref> During his time at Queens Park Rangers Allen had been refused permission, by manager Francis, to attend the birth of his first child as Allen would miss an important match. Allen attended the birth and was disciplined by the club.<ref name=qprtf>{{cite news|title=Top 10 player and manager feuds, starring David Beckham, Roy Keane, Harry Redknapp and more|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/top-10-player-and-manager-feuds-789312|access-date=20 September 2012|newspaper=www.mirror.co.uk}}</ref> Under Bonds and [[Harry Redknapp]] Allen formed a successful partnership with [[Peter Butler (footballer born 1966)|Peter Butler]] with Allen contributing 34 goals from midfield in 234 appearances. However, by 1995 team discipline was poor at West Ham and with Allen playing alongside [[Julian Dicks]], [[John Moncur]] and [[Don Hutchison]] bookings were commonplace.<ref name="red1"/> Allen was again dismissed in a match against Queens Park Rangers on 3 May 1995 after fouling [[Rufus Brevett]].<ref name=red3>{{cite book|last=Powles|first=John|title=Seeing Red for The Claret and Blue|year=2012|publisher=SoccerData|location=Hockley, Essex|isbn=978-1-905891-54-2|page=59}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Game played on 03 May 1995|url=http://www.westhamstats.info/westham.php?west=5&ham=3957&united=03_May_1995|publisher=www.westhamstats.info|access-date=20 September 2012}}</ref> He would play only five more games before being allowed to leave.<ref name=whustats/>

Allen stayed with the Hammers until September 1995 when he made a £500,000 switch to [[Portsmouth F.C.|Portsmouth]] after a successful loan spell at [[Fratton Park]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/sherwood-to-placate-blackburn-protesters-1600747.html |title=Sherwood to placate Blackburn protesters&nbsp;— Sport |work=The Independent |date=12 September 1995 |access-date=27 August 2011}}</ref> After three frustrating years with Pompey, which took in a brief loan stint at [[Southend United F.C.|Southend United]], he retired and began a coaching career.