Tommy Allen

Early career

He was born in Moxley and played his youth football for various local sides including Bilston United. During World War I he played for Wolverhampton Wanderers before joining First Division side Sunderland in May 1919. At Roker Park he was seen as a fine prospect and during Sunderland's first post-war season he vied for the 'keeper's shirt with Leslie Scott and James Dempster, making 19 league appearances. At the end of the season the Sunderland management failed to include his name on the list of players retained for the following season and he was quickly snapped up by Southampton for their first Football League season.

Southampton

He soon became the backbone of The Saints' defence and in his first season Southampton narrowly missed out on promotion. In the 1921–22 season he kept 26 clean sheets as Southampton took the Division Three South title on goal average from Plymouth Argyle. Saints total of only 21 goals conceded in a 42 match season was a Football League record which stood until 1979 and remains a record for Southampton. Allen did not concede a goal in any of the final seven games of the season and by the time his defence was finally breached by Leeds United on 28 August 1922 he had gone 845 minutes without conceding a goal. He was a tall, slightly built man and according to Holley & Chalk's "Alphabet of the Saints" "his agility was often described as miraculous". His slender build was frequently the target of banter in the dressing…

Southampton

Football League Third Division South championship: 1921–22