Joe Allen: 2011/2012 Biography & Statistics

Club career

Allen has been part of the Swansea City youth set-up since he was nine. As a first-year scholar in the youth team in the 2006'2007 season, he featured as an unused first-team substitute in a 3'0 away win over then Premiership side Sheffield United in the 3rd round of the FA Cup. Two weeks later, aged just 16, then Swansea manager Kenny Jackett gave Allen his debut in the FAW Premier Cup away tie to local Welsh Premier League side Port Talbot Town. Allen played the first half of the match, as Swansea lost 2'1 after extra time. Allen made his league debut for Swansea as a substitute in a 6'3 defeat to Blackpool on the final day of the Football League One season, as Swansea missed out on a play-off position under new manager and former team captain Roberto Mart'nez.

The following pre-season Allen played in numerous games for the club. As the 2007'2008 season got underway, he started in the first round of the Carling Cup game in a 2'0 home win over Walsall. Allen was named man of the match for his performance, which included assisting in the first goal by providing a left-footed chipped cross to Paul Anderson. In August 2007 Mart'nez awarded Allen his first professional contract, which kept him at Sweansea until 2010. Allen started in the next round of the Carling Cup at home to Reading, and again received the man of the match award.

The following season, Swansea's first in the Football League Championship, Allen struggled to get into the first team due to competition from midfielders Darren Pratley, Ferrie Bodde, Owain Tudur Jones, Jordi Gomez and Leon Britton. In October 2008 Allen joined Wrexham on a one-month loan deal, and scored a 25-yard goal on his debut for the North Wales side in a 3'1 win over York City. Allen made a handful of appearances for the club, but his loan spell was cut short when he damaged ankle ligaments, which kept him out for a month. Allen returned from the injury in December going back into Swansea squad at home to Barnsley; regular midfielder Ferrie Bodde had been ruled out for the remainder of the season as a result of injury. With Swansea 2'0 down playing terribly prompted manager Roberto Martinez brought Allen on from the bench.Swansea went on to earn a late 2'2 draw and, despite only playing 25 minutes, Allen received once more received the man-of-the-match award.

Break into the Swansea first team

In April 2009, Allen came on as a substitute to score his first goal for Swansea in a South Wales derby away at Cardiff City. At the end of the season, he signed a new three-year contract that kept him at the club until 2012. After frequently being injured in the 2009'2010 season, Allen returned to regular first-team football at the start of the 2010'2011 season. A string of impressive performances prompted manager Brendan Rodgers to play Allen in the South Wales derby in November 2010. Allen received the man-of-the-match award in a 1'0 win.

2011

A few days prior to the beginning of the Premier League season, Allen signed a new four-year contract with Swansea, which kept him at the club until 2015 (Allen had been in the last year of his contract).

International career

Joe Allen playing for Wales in 2011

Soon after receiving his first professional contract for Swansea City, in August 2007 Allen was called up for the Wales under-21 squad, in a friendly match away to Sweden. Allen came on as a substitute to score the winner in a 4'3 win. Despite playing in a central midfield position for Swansea, Allen initially played on the right wing for Wales ' Aaron Ramsey and Jack Collison were the preferred Welsh central midfield pairing. However, this changed when former Wales manager Gary Speed deployed Allen with Ramsey and Andrew Crofts at the heart of midfield, in a 4-5-1 formation.

In May 2009 Allen made his debut for the senior Wales team, as a substitute during a friendly against Estonia. In November 2009 Allen was called up for another international friendly, against Scotland, at the newly opened Cardiff City Stadium. Allen made his first start for Wales in a 2'0 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying Group G match against Switzerland at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea on in October 2011. Four days later Allen started again for Wales in a 1'0 victory against Bulgaria, played in Sofia.