Wales external association football player
not to be confused with Joe Allon
Joseph Michael Allen ( born 14 March 1990 ) is a Welsh master football player who plays as a midfielder for EFL Championship club Stoke City which he captains, and the Wales national team.

Allen began his career at Swansea City, making his first-team debut in January 2007 at age 16. He played in 150 matches across all competitions in six years at the Liberty Stadium, besides having a lend at Wrexham. During his time at Swansea, they won two promotions, going from League One to the Premier League. In 2012, he joined Liverpool for £15 million, signed by his former Swansea director Brendan Rodgers. Allen spent four seasons at Anfield, making 132 appearances. In July 2016, he signed for Stoke City for a £13 million transfer tip. A full international for Wales since 2009, Allen has earned over 60 caps for his nation and represented Wales at UEFA Euro 2016, helping the team reach the semi-finals, and UEFA Euro 2020. He besides represented Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics .

early life sentence [edit ]

Born in Carmarthen, [ 2 ] Allen was raised in the Pembrokeshire town of Narberth, and is a former student of Narberth Primary School and Ysgol y Preseli. [ 3 ] [ 4 ] He is a fluent Welsh loudspeaker. [ 5 ] Allen started his career meet in local team Tenby up to age ten-spot. [ 6 ] [ 7 ]

Club career [edit ]

Swansea City [edit ]

Allen was depart of the Swansea City young set-up from age nine. As a freshman scholar in the young team in the 2006–07 season, he featured as an unused first-team substitute in a 3–0 aside win over then Premier League side Sheffield United in the one-third round of the FA Cup. [ 8 ] Two weeks late, when Allen was equitable 16, Swansea director Kenny Jackett gave him his debut in the FAW Premier Cup away tie to local Welsh Premier League side Port Talbot Town. He played the first half of the couple as Swansea lost 2–1 after extra prison term. [ 9 ] Allen made his league debut for Swansea as a 75th-minute substitute for Andy Robinson in a 6–3 family get the better of to Blackpool on 7 May, the final day of the League One season, as Swansea missed out on a play-off side under new coach and early team captain Roberto Martínez. [ 10 ] Allen made a first start on 14 August 2007 in a 2–0 home gain over Walsall in the beginning round of the League Cup. He was named man of the match for his performance, which included assisting in the first goal by providing a left-footed nick cross to Paul Anderson. Two days late, Martínez awarded Allen his first professional narrow, to keep him at Swansea until 2010. [ 11 ] Allen started in the future round of the tournament at home to Reading and again received the homo of the equal award, despite a 1–0 loss. [ 12 ] He made 14 appearances over the campaign, six in the Swans’ triumphant capture of the League One deed. The succeed season, Swansea ‘s first in the Championship, Allen struggled to get into the first team due to competition from midfielders Darren Pratley, Ferrie Bodde, Owain Tudur Jones, Jordi Gómez and Leon Britton. On 7 October 2008, Allen joined Conference Premier club Wrexham on a one-month lend [ 13 ] and scored a goal from 25 yards on his debut for the North Wales team the same sidereal day, in a 3–1 acquire over York City at the Racecourse Ground. [ 14 ] His loanword was curtailed after only one more match, when he damaged ankle ligaments and was sidelined for a month. [ 15 ] Allen returned from the injury in December, entering the Swansea squad at home to Barnsley after regular midfielder Ferrie Bodde had been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to injury. [ 16 ] With Swansea 2–0 down and playing ill, director Martínez was prompted to bring Allen on from the substitutes ‘ bench. The baseball club went on to earn a recently 2–2 draw and despite alone playing 25 minutes, Allen once more received the man of the couple award. [ 17 ] On 5 April 2009, Allen came on as a 68th-minute substitute for Mark Gower, and 20 minutes late scored his first finish for Swansea in a South Wales derby 2–2 draw away at Cardiff City. [ 18 ] At the end of the season, he signed a newly three-year abridge lasting until 2012. [ 19 ] After frequently being injured in the 2009–10 season, Allen returned to regular first-team football at the beginning of the 2010–11 season. A string of impressive performances prompted coach Brendan Rodgers to play Allen in the South Wales bowler hat in November 2010, with Allen receiving the man of the match prize in the 1–0 acquire. He played 40 league matches and scored twice over the Championship campaign, and featured for the full 90 minutes as Swansea won promotion with a 4–2 victory over Reading in the play-off final examination at Wembley Stadium. however, he scored an own goal in that match. [ 20 ] A few days anterior to the beginning of the 2011–12 Premier League, Allen signed a modern four-year contract with Swansea lasting until 2015. [ 21 ] He played 36 out of 38 top-flight fixtures that season, scoring four goals. On 3 December 2011, he was sent off for two bookings in a 4–2 loss to Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park. [ 22 ]

liverpool [edit ]

Allen warming up for Liverpool in 2012 On 10 August 2012, after passing a checkup at Melwood, [ 23 ] Allen signed a long-run contract with Liverpool in a transfer cover worth £15 million, following Brendan Rodgers ‘ affect to Anfield. [ 24 ] Allen made his Premier League debut on 18 August 2012, starting in a 3–0 loss against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns. [ 25 ] He started Liverpool ‘s adjacent couple of the league campaign against Manchester City, where he was voted world of the match on the baseball club ‘s official web site by fans and journalists. [ 26 ] He went on to win the Liverpool Player of the Month award for August 2012. [ 27 ] Allen scored his first goal for Liverpool on 27 January 2013 in a 3–2 frustration to Oldham Athletic in the fourthly polish of the FA Cup. [ 28 ] He scored his first european goal on 21 February in a 3–1 acquire over Zenit Saint Petersburg in the UEFA Europa League. [ 29 ] On 20 March, it was announced Allen would be ruled out for the remainder of the 2012–13 season, with him requiring operating room on his leave shoulder. [ 30 ] On 5 May 2014, Allen scored his first finish for Liverpool in the 2013–14 Premier League season with a header from a corner to give Liverpool the lead in a 3–3 describe against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. [ 31 ] Allen played 26 times for Liverpool in 2013–14 as the slope narrowly missed out on the Premier League title. [ 32 ] In the 2014–15 season, Allen made 32 appearances as the side finished in sixth position. [ 33 ] Allen was praised when he played the entire 90 minutes in a 2–1 win against Manchester City, where he outplayed City asterisk Yaya Touré. [ 34 ] On 13 April 2015, Allen scored the second goal in a 2–0 acquire over Newcastle United, his beginning at Anfield. [ 35 ] Before the start of the 2015–16 season, Allen suffered an wound during one of the pre-season matches and was ruled out for a calendar month. [ 36 ] On 13 January 2016, he scored a last-minute equalizer in a 3–3 home describe against league leaders Arsenal. [ 37 ] Thirteen days by and by, he scored the winning penalty in a gunfight against Stoke City to send Liverpool to the 2016 League Cup Final. [ 38 ] Allen was an fresh stand-in for Liverpool as they lost the final examination on penalties to Manchester City. [ 39 ] however, Allen did play in the 2016 UEFA Europa League Final against Sevilla on 18 May 2016 in Basel, where despite initially taking the run, Liverpool were defeated 3–1. [ 40 ] At the end of the season, Allen expressed his desire to play regular football. [ 41 ]

Stoke City [edit ]

On 25 July 2016, Allen joined Stoke City on a five-year contract for a reported £13 million transmit fee. [ 42 ] He made his Premier League debut for Stoke on 13 August 2016 in a 1–1 draw away at Middlesbrough. [ 43 ] Speaking after his act to Stoke, Allen said he “ had to move on ” from Liverpool in order to receive regular playing time. [ 44 ] He scored his first goal for Stoke on 24 September 2016 in a 1–1 reap against West Bromwich Albion. [ 45 ] Allen then scored against Manchester United on 2 October as Stoke earned their first point at Old Trafford since 1980. [ 46 ] [ 47 ] Allen continued his goal scoring run with both goals in a 2–0 winnings against Sunderland earning Stoke their foremost victory of the 2016–17 season. [ 48 ] [ 49 ] In November 2016, Allen was included in the 40-man short list for the UEFA Team of the Year. [ 50 ] He scored a full of life acquire finish against Crystal Palace on 11 February 2017. [ 51 ] Allen made 39 appearances in 2016–17, scoring six goals, as Stoke finished in 13th military position. [ 52 ] [ 53 ] Allen played 38 times in 2017–18, scoring four goals as Stoke suffered delegating to the Championship. [ 54 ] [ 55 ] Following relegation, Allen said he would be volition to stay with the club. [ 56 ] Allen signed new four-year condense with the Potters in June 2018. [ 57 ] Allen was the entirely member of the police squad to play every championship game in 2018–19, as Stoke failed to mount a forwarding challenge finish in 16th. [ 58 ] He scored six goals during the campaign most notably winning ones against Leeds United and his former club Swansea. [ 59 ] [ 60 ] Stoke began the 2019–20 season in hapless imprint with Allen being sent-off against Bristol City on 14 September 2019. [ 61 ] Allen scored in Michael O’Neill ‘s first equal in a 4–2 acquire against Barnsley which lifted Stoke off the bottom of the table. [ 62 ] Allen scored twice against Luton Town on 10 December 2019 in a 3–0 victory but came in for criticism after he celebrated by cupping his ears at the crowd. [ 63 ] Allen was ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering a achilles tendon rupture on 7 March 2020 playing against Hull City. [ 64 ] In his absence Stoke managed to avoid relegation and finished in 15th position. [ 65 ] [ 66 ] Allen returned to match fitness in December 2020 making his return from wound on Boxing day against Coventry City. [ 67 ] He went on to play nineteen times in the 2020–21 season, before he suffered another injury set-back in March 2021 whilst on external duty with Wales. [ 68 ]

International career [edit ]

Wales [edit ]

Allen playing for Wales in 2016 soon after receiving his foremost professional contract for Swansea City in August 2007, Allen was called up for the Wales under-21 team in a friendly match away to Sweden. He scored the winning finish in a 4–3 victory. [ 69 ] In May 2009, Allen made his debut for the senior Wales team as an 80th-minute substitute for Jack Collison during a friendly against Estonia. Wales, who won 1–0 in Llanelli, were fielding their youngest team ever, with an modal old age of 21. [ 70 ] He made his foremost begin for Wales in a 2–0 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying Group G equal against Switzerland at his golf club ‘s Liberty Stadium in October 2011. [ 71 ] He was awarded the pry for the Wales ‘ Player of the year for 2012 in October of that class. [ 72 ] Allen captained Wales for the first fourth dimension in the absence of Ashley Williams through injury on 4 June 2014 against the Netherlands. [ 73 ] He played throughout the nation ‘s successful qualification for UEFA Euro 2016. On 13 November 2015, in a 3–2 home loss to the dutch, he had a punishment saved by Jasper Cillessen, but Joe Ledley scored from the recoil. [ 74 ] At Euro 2016, Allen set-up Aaron Ramsey ‘s finish in a 3–0 win over Russia on 20 June, which allowed Wales to top their group and advance to the smasher circle of the tournament. [ 75 ] Wales were eliminated following a 2–0 defeat to eventual champions Portugal in the semi-final on 6 July. [ 76 ] Allen was named to the team of the tournament for his performances. [ 77 ] In May 2021 he was selected for the Wales squad for the check UEFA Euro 2020 tournament. [ 78 ]

2012 Summer Olympics [edit ]

Allen chose to be included in Team GB ‘s 2012 Summer Olympics football squad. [ 79 ] He was one of five Welsh players—including captain Ryan Giggs —but a mistake in the official Team GB course of study for their first gear equal described Allen as English. [ 80 ]

style of dally [edit ]

Allen is a hard-working, tactically disciplined and tenacious—albeit not excessively physical—midfielder, who is adequate to of aiding his team both creatively and offensively courtesy of his ability to transition the ball from defense to attack effectively after winning back self-control. A versatile and gifted actor with a low concentrate of gravity and quick feet, he is capable of playing in several midfield roles. due to his sight, composure in self-control, effective travel by and ability to dictate the tempo of his team ‘s play in midfield as a playmaker, Allen has been described as the “ Welsh Xavi “ and as the “ Welsh Pirlo “ by his former director at Swansea City and Liverpool, Brendan Rodgers. [ 81 ] [ 82 ] [ 83 ] [ 84 ] [ 85 ] [ 86 ]

personal life sentence [edit ]

Allen is married to Lacey, with whom he has a son. Inspired by her engagement in animal wellbeing, he adopts hens to save them when they can no longer lay eggs. [ 87 ] Allen ‘s brother Harry lost his hearing at historic period three due to meningitis, and Joe became ambassador for Action on Hearing Loss Cymru in March 2015. [ 88 ] Harry besides played football and became captain of the Welsh deafen futsal team. [ 89 ]

career statistics [edit ]

clubhouse [edit ]

As of match played 11 December 2021

International [edit ]

Allen with Wales in 2011

As of match played 13 November 2021.[102]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Wales 2009 2 0
2011 4 0
2012 6 0
2013 3 0
2014 4 0
2015 4 0
2016 11 2
2017 6 0
2018 8 0
2019 8 0
2021 12 0
Total 68 2
Wales’ score listed first, score column indicates score after each Allen goal.[102]
List of international goals scored by Joe Allen
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 5 September 2016 Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales 32  Moldova 2–0 4–0 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
2 6 October 2016 Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria 33  Austria 1–0 2–2

Honours [edit ]

Swansea City
Liverpool
Individual

References [edit ]