Charlie Allen

DOB: 24th March 1992

Position: Midfielder

Season of first appearance: 2013/14

Season of last appearance: 2015/16

Full Appearances: 45

Substitute: 5

Goals: 20

Also played for:

Brentford (0), Dagenham & Redbridge (0), Billericay Town, Notts County (5+6,0), Gillingham (28+14,2), Tamworth, Farnborough, Reading City, Grays Athletic, Greenwich Borough, Dulwich Hamlet and Cray Wanderers.

Player Profile:

Energetic attacking midfielder born in Slough who started his career with Brentford as a 14 year-old. Charlie's father Martin - a former QPR and West Ham player - was manager of the Bees at the time. Charlie progressed through Brentford's youth ranks up to the reserves but at the end of the 2009/10 season he wasn't offered a professional contract after finishing a two-year scholarship and left the club.

Charlie became part of Dagenham & Redbridge's youth academy for the 2010/11 campaign and he combined that with working on a building site for a few months before the Daggers gave him an 18-month contract early in 2011.

In March 2011, Charlie joined Isthmian League Premier Division club Billericay under a dual-registration agreement and their manager Craig Edwards said: "He clearly has a good pedigree and is highly thought of by (Dagenham & Redbridge manager) John Still. He's a big, strong lad like his father and I'm sure he will give us something extra in midfield as we continue to battle for a play-off place. I've seen him play and have been impressed so I know what he can do." Charlie scored twice in seven league outings for Billericay before the end of the 2010/11 season.

In June 2011 he joined Notts County on a free transfer and by then his father Martin was in charge of the Magpies. Speaking about his son's signing Martin said: "He comes from good bloodstock and is a player I've watched for several years." Charlie made his first-team debut for County on 27.8.11 as they lost 2-0 at Preston in a League One game and he went on to make ten further appearances (six as a substitute) without scoring before the end of 2011. He then fell out of favour and, after his father was sacked as manager in February 2012, Charlie didn't feature again in the senior side during the remainder of 2011/12.

In the summer of 2012, Martin Allen became Gillingham's manager and signed Charlie for the League Two outfit. He made his debut for the Gills in a 2-1 win at Bristol City in the League Cup on 14.8.12 and Charlie was a regular in Gillingham's matchday squad after that although he was often used as a substitute. On 2.10.12 he was sent off after picking up a second yellow card in the last minute of a 2-1 win at Northampton but in his next outing - a home game against Aldershot on 13.10.12 - Charlie scored his first goal for the Gills. He went on to score once more from a total of 36 appearances during 2012/13 as Gillingham won the League Two title.

At the start of the 2013/14 season Charlie made six more appearances (four as sub) without scoring but after his father was sacked as the Gills' manager in October 2013 he didn't feature in the first team again.

At the end of October 2013 Charlie was loaned to Conference club Tamworth for two months and at that time Gillingham's interim manager Peter Taylor insisted that Charlie would be treated no differently than any other player and would be judged on football ability alone. Taylor said: "What I've seen in training, I don't think he was going to get much football." As he prepared for his Tamworth debut, Charlie said on Twitter: "I had to go out and play. Extremely relieved to be away after my 'fair opportunity' didn't work out as planned. Sad to say goodbye for a while my team mates and fans who have been outstanding to me through tough times! Good luck to all at Gills."

Charlie's first game for Tamworth on 2.11.13 proved to be dramatic as he came on as a substitute 33 minutes into a home game against Braintree only to be sent off just eight minutes later for what the referee deemed to be a dangerous tackle. Tamworth's manager Dale Belford thought the dismissal was harsh and said: "I'm devastated for him. He's been bright as a button in training and been superb. He's been desperate to play but that happens. It's a man's game and the days of full-blooded tackles and showing that commitment and effort...it's one of them." Charlie Tweeted: "Not an ideal start. Feel hard done by but ah well. Silver lining is it can only get better !!" It turned out to be his only appearance for Tamworth and Charlie was recalled by Gillingham at the start of December 2013 although he still didn't feature in the first-team.

In February 2014, Charlie's contract with the Gills was cancelled by mutual consent and Peter Taylor said: "He's been absolute first class and he hasn't been one problem to me and if any football clubs out there want to phone me or decide to phone me about him it will only be positive things." Charlie Tweeted: "Truly gutted to finish my Gills career this way. Best for both parties to see this happen. Hopefully one day I will be in the game again but for now I am going back to college and further my education. Best days of my life with everyone at Gills. Together we achieved something brilliant and memorable. Going to miss the lads more than they'll know ! Thanks to the fans who took me in as their own and a bigger thanks to the ones who doubted me for the motivation and inspiration. All the best to the Gaffer, the chairman and of course all the lads !!"

A couple of weeks after leaving Gillingham, Charlie signed for Margate on a deal to the end of the 2013/14 season and he made his debut in a 2-1 home defeat against Kingstonian in the Isthmian League Premier Division on 8.3.14. Charlie was a regular in midfield from then on and was a particular threat going forward. On 5.4.14 he scored his first goal in a 1-1 draw with Bognor Regis at Hartsdown Park and Margate's website said "he serenely sidestepped the keeper before slotting into the far corner" after latching onto a pass from Charlie Wassmer. In his next outing Charlie scored twice as Margate won 4-1 at East Thurrock, first firing home from the centre of the penalty area after a Matt Bodkin cross picked him out and then knocking the ball in from close-range after being set-up by Jefferson Louis. Margate's website said of Charlie's display "the undoubted star was Allen who pulled the strings and whose goals cemented a fine victory".

His fine form continued as the campaign drew to a close and on 19.4.14 Charlie scored two first half goals in a 6-0 win at Carshalton before scoring a header in his next outing as Margate thrashed Cray 5-0 at Hartsdown Park. Charlie then scored for the third game in a row during a 3-2 win over Hendon on 26.4.14 - the last day of the season. He finished with a record of seven goals from 13 appearances and in May 2014 he signed a new one-year contract.

Charlie started 2014/15 in fine form as Margate made a flying start to the season. He had scored seven times before the end of August, including a double in a 5-1 win over Billericay at Hartsdown on 23.08.14. Further doubles followed against Met Police on 30.09.14 in a 3-1 home win and a 2-3 defeat at Hendon on 18.10.14.

The goals against Hendon turned out to Charlie's last of the season as he missed most of the second half of the campaign with a knee injury. His appearance against Dulwich at home on 17.01.15 was his last until the final league game of the season at Bognor on 25.04.15 when he came on as a sub for Zac Attwood in a 1-0 win.

However, he started in both of Margate's play-off matches - the semi-final at home to Dulwich on 14.05.15 and the final against Hendon at Harrow Borough on 17.05.15. He finished the season with 12 league goals in 26 appearances (plus three as sub).

Charlie, based in Oxford, left Margate in the summer of 2015 by mutual agreement. He told Kent Online: "I spoke to Terry [Brown] about the travelling, and my situation, and we both mutually agreed that it was best we go our separate ways.

"I would personally like to thank everyone at Margate, and I will always have a soft spot for the club. It is destined for great things and I hope our paths cross again soon."

That turned out to be sooner than anyone expected as Charlie returned to Hartsdown on a short-term deal in October that same year.

His first game back was on 17.10.15 in a Kent Senior Cup tie at home to Tonbridge on 07.10.15 that Margate lost 2-1.

His second appearance was a disaster. He came on as a sub for Danny Green with ten minutes left at home to Truro City in an FA Cup tie at Hartsdown on 10.10.15 but was sent off within 90 seconds for a bad challenge. Margate still managed to win 4-1.

Charlie made one further appearance - as a sub in a 1-1 draw at Oxford City on 17.10.15 - but that turned out to be his final game for Margate.

Charlie next appeared for Farnborough of the Isthmian Premier in 2015/16, scoring twice on his debut at home to Leiston on 20.02.16.

He stayed with Farnborough until the end of the season and made further appearances for them in 2016/17.

In August 2018, Charlie signed for Reading City of the Hellenic League on a short-term deal. Later in 2018/19, Charlie turned out for Grays Athletic in the Isthmian League North Division and Greenwich Borough of the Isthmian League South Division. Dulwich Hamlet became Charlie’s fourth different club that season when he joined them in March 2019.

Charlie signed for Cray Wanderers in the summer of 2019.