| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | c. 1891 | ||
| Place of birth | Cardenden, Scotland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1] | ||
| Position | Full back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| Dunfermline Athletic | |||
| 1910–1911 | Hibernian | 2 | (0) |
| 1911–1913 | East Fife | ||
| 1913–1922 | Bury | 132 | (1) |
| 1922–1923 | Reading | ||
| 1923–1928 | J&P Coats | 120 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
John Allan was a Scottishfootballer who played as afull back. Allan began his career in the Scottish League before moving toThe Football League. After he was banned for life bythe Football Association formatch fixing, Allan moved to the United States and played for five seasons in theAmerican Soccer League.
Allan began his professional career withDunfermline Athletic. In 1910, he moved toHibernian F.C. where he played two games in September.[2] He then transferred toEast Fife. On 10 May 1913, he transferred toBury and remained with the team until 1923. On 1 May 1920, Bury tied atCoventry City, which allowed Coventry to remain in the Football League at the expense ofLincoln City. It eventually came to light that Coventry and Bury had conspired to fix the match. On 29 May 1923, after investigating the allegations,the Football Association Management Committee announced that Allan and several other players, managers and executives were banned for life.[3][4][5] By then Allan had transferred toReading, but was immediately released by the team.
Following his suspension by the FA, Allan moved to the United States in 1924 where he signed withJ&P Coats of theAmerican Soccer League. He played only three games with Coats at the end of the 1923–1924 season, but became a fixture on the team's backline for the next three seasons. He saw time in only 13 games during the 1927–1928 season. He left the ASL in 1928.[6]