Joe Allen

At 34 years old, Joe Allen has this physical status:

Joseph Michael Allen (born 14 March 1990) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays for Stoke City and the Welsh national team. Allen began his career at Swansea City in January 2007, making his first-team debut at age 16.

In six years at the Liberty Stadium, he has played in 150 games in all competitions, as well as having a loan at Wrexham.

Both Swansea and Premier League promotions were won during his time there, from League One to the Premier League.

Brendan Rodgers, his former Swansea City manager, signed him to Liverpool for £15 million in 2012.

Allen played for four seasons at Anfield, making 132 appearances.

He paid Stoke City a £13 million transfer fee in July 2016. Allen has played for Wales since 2009, earning more than 50 caps for his country and representing Wales at UEFA Euro 2016, helping the team advance to the semi-finals.

At the 2012 Olympics, he also represented Great Britain in the United Kingdom.

Early life

Allen was born in Carmarthen, Pepeshire, and is a former Narberth Primary School and Ysgol y Preseli student. He is a natural Welsh speaker. Allen began his playing in local club Tenby up to age ten.

Personal life

Allen is married to Lacey, with whom he has a son. When hens are unable to lay eggs, she is inspired by her involvement with animal welfare. Harry Allen's brother Harry lost his hearing at the age of three due to meningitis, and Joe became the ambassador for Action on Hearing Loss Cymru in March 2015. Harry also played football and was captain of the Welsh deaf futsal team.

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Club career

Allen was a participant in the Swansea City youth programme from the age of nine. In a 3–0 away victory over then Premier League side Sheffield United in the third round of the FA Cup, he was a first-year scholar in the youth team from 2006–07. Kenny Jackett, the new manager of Swansea's home tie against local Welsh Premier League side Port Talbot Town, was two weeks later. Swansea lost 2–1 after extra time in the first half of the match. Allen made his League debut for Swansea in a 6–3 home loss to Blackpool on May 7th, the final day of the League One season, as Swansea fell out on a play-off position under new boss and former team captain Roberto Martnez.

Allen got off to a winning start in the first round of the League Cup on August 14, 2007. He was voted man of the match for his contribution in the first goal by a left-footed chipped cross to Paul Anderson. Allen's first professional deal was signed two days later, and he will continue to work at Swansea until 2010. Allen was accepted man of the match award at home to Reading and again received the man of the match award after a 1–0 loss. In the Swans' triumphant acquisition of the League One trophy, he made 14 appearances over the course of the campaign, six in the Swans' triumphant takeover of the League One crown.

Allen, who was Swansea's first in the Championship, suffered to qualify for the first team due to competition from midfielders Darren Pratley, Ferrie Bodde, Owain Tudur Jones, Jordi Gómez, and Leon Britton. Allen signed a one-month loan and scored a goal from 25 yards on his debut for the North Wales team the same day in a 3–1 victory over York City at the Racecourse Ground on October 7, 2008. When he injured ankle ligaments and was hospitalized for a month, his loan was suspended after just one more match. Allen returned from the injury in December and joined the Swansea team at home to Barnsley after regular midfielder Ferrie Bodde was suspended for the remainder of the season due to injury. With Swansea 2–0 down and poorly playing, manager Martnez was forced to bring Allen on from the replacements' bench. Despite only playing 25 minutes, Allen was given the man of the match award once more. Allen made his 68th-minute replacement for Mark Gower, and 20 minutes later scored his first goal for Swansea in a South Wales derby 2–2 draw away at Cardiff City. He has since signed a new three-year deal that will run until 2012.

Allen returned to regular first-team football after being injured in the 2009–2010 season. Allen defeated Allen in the South Wales derby in November 2010, with Allen receiving the man of the match award in the 1–0 triumph. He appeared in 40 league matches and scored twice during the Championship season, as Swansea lifted promotion with a 4–2 victory over Reading in the play-off final at Wembley Stadium. In the other hand, he scored his own goal in that match.

Allen signed a new four-year deal with Swansea that will run until 2015. He appeared in 36 of 38 top-flight games this season, scoring four goals. In a 4–2 loss to Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on December 3, 2011, he was suspended for two bookings.

Following Brendan Rodgers' move to Anfield, Allen signed a long-term contract with Liverpool worth £15 million on August 10, 2012. Allen made his Premier League debut on August 18, 2012, starting with a 3–0 loss against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns. On the club's official website, he started Liverpool's next match of the league season against Manchester City, where he was named man of the match by fans and journalists. In August 2012, he went on to win the Liverpool Player of the Month award. Allen scored his first goal for Liverpool in a 3–2 loss to Oldham Athletic in the fourth round of the FA Cup on January 27, 2013. In a 3–1 victory over Zenit Saint Petersburg in the UEFA Europa League, he scored his first European goal on February 21. Allen was expected to miss the remainder of the 2012–13 season, as he recovers from surgery on his left shoulder.

Allen scored his first goal for Liverpool in the 2013-14 Premier League season, with a header from a corner to put the team up in a 3–3 draw against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on 5 May 2014. Allen appeared in 26 times for Liverpool in 2013–14, just shy of losing out on the Premier League title for the first time. Allen made 32 appearances on the team's sixth appearance in the 2014–15 season. Allen was lauded for his full 90 minutes in a 2–1 victory over Manchester City, where he overplayed City star Yaya Touré. Allen scored his second goal in a 2–0 win over Newcastle United on April 13, his first at Anfield.

Allen sustained an injury in one of the pre-season games and was suspended for a month before the start of the 2015–16 season. In a 3–3 home draw against league leaders Arsenal on January 13, he scored a last-minute equalizer on December 13, 2016. He scored the winning penalty in a shootout against Stoke City, sending Liverpool to the 2016 League Cup Final three days later. Liverpool lost the final on penalties to Manchester City, and Allen was an ineffective substitute. Allen did participate in the 2016 UEFA Europa League Final against Sevilla on May 18, 2016, where Liverpool lost 3–1. Allen expressed his desire to play regular football at the end of the season.

Allen joined Stoke City on a five-year deal for a reported £13 million transfer fee. In a 1–1 draw at Middlesbrough on August 13, he made his Premier League debut for Stoke. Allen said after his move to Stoke, he "had to move forward" from Liverpool in order to get regular playing time. In a 1–1 draw with West Bromwich Albion on September 24, he scored his first goal for Stoke. Stoke earned their first point at Old Trafford since 1980 after Allen scored against Manchester United on October 2nd. Allen continued his goal scoring effort with both goals against Sunderland, giving Stoke their first victory of the 2016-17 season. Allen was included in the UEFA Team of the Year's 40-Man shortlist in November 2016. On February 11, 2017, he scored a crucial winning goal against Crystal Palace. Allen made 39 appearances in 2016-17, scoring six goals, as Stoke finished in 13th place. Allen played 38 times in 2017-18, scoring four goals as Stoke relegated to the Championship. Allen said he would be able to remain with the team following relegation.

Allen signed a new four-year deal with the Potters in June 2018. Allen was the only member of the squad to appear in every Championship game in 2018-19, as Stoke failed to mount a promotion challenge in 16th. During the campaign, he scored six goals, most notably against Leeds United and his old club Swansea. Stoke's 2019–20 season began in poor form, with Allen being sent-off against Bristol City on September 14, 2019. Allen scored in Michael O'Neill's first match against Barnsley, who lifted Stoke off the bottom of the table after being defeated. Allen won by 3–0, but came under fire after he toasted his ears at the crowd. Allen was ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering an achilles tendon tear against Hull City on March 7, 2020. Stoke managed to prevent relegation in his absence and ended in 15th place in 15th place.

Allen recovered from injury on Boxing day against Coventry City in December 2020. He continued to play nineteen times in the 2020–21 season before suffering another injury setback in March 2021 while visiting Wales in international service. Allen was made captain by Michael O'Neill prior to the 2021–22 season. Stoke had a frustrating season after being in the top six for the first half of the season, a poor second half saw them fall behind the table and finish in 14th. Following the expiration of his deal, Allen left Stoke at the end of the season.

Allen signed a two-year deal with Swansea City on July 8, 2022.

International career

Allen was called up to the Wales under-21 team in a friendly match away from Sweden soon after starting his first professional work for Swansea City in August 2007. In a 4–3 win, he had the winning goal.

Allen made his senior Wales debut against Estonia in May 2009 as an 80th-minute replacement for Jack Collison. Wales, who won 1–0 in Llanelli, were fielding their youngest team ever, with an average age of 21. In a 2–0 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier group G match against Switzerland at his club's Liberty Stadium in October 2011, he made his first appearance for Wales. In October of that year, he was named Player of the Year for Wales in 2012.

Allen captained Wales for the first time in the absence of Ashley Williams due to injury, against the Netherlands on June 4, 2014. He appeared in every national qualifier for UEFA Euro 2016; he represented the country in the country's lucrative qualifying round. Joe Ledley scored from the rebound on November 13, 2015, after the Dutch lost 3–2 home to Jasper Cillessen.

Allen set-up Aaron Ramsey's goal in a 3–0 victory over Russia on June 20, which allowed Wales to lead their group and progress to the knockout round of the tournament. In the semi-finals on July 6, Wales was defeated after a 2–0 loss to eventual champion Portugal. Allen was selected to the tournament's team for his efforts. He was selected for the Wales squad for the postponed UEFA Euro 2020 tournament in May 2021.

Allen was selected for the 2012 Summer Olympics football squad by Team GB. Allen was one of five Welsh players, including captain Ryan Giggs, but the official Team GB programme for their first match referred to him as English.

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