*Indicates unconfirmed information. Figures in brackets after English team names indicate all appearances made and goals scored in competitive matches for Football League clubs from 1888 onwards. For Scottish League clubs the figures show details of all competitive appearances and goals scored from 1946/47 onwards.
Andy Allon
Appearances: 153+1 Goals: 10
Date / Year of birth: 20th November 1964
Position: Utility
Season of first appearance: 1991/92
Season of last appearance: 1994/95
Also played for: Folkestone & Shepway, Folkestone Town, Folkestone, Dover Athletic, Ashford Town and Hythe Town
Whole-hearted, versatile 5' 10" tall player born in King's Lynn who started his career with Folkestone & Shepway, making his first team debut early in the 1978/79 season aged only 14.
Andy stayed at Folkestone for around seven years and was the club's leading scorer for 1981/82. He was on target in a 3-0 home win over Thanet United on 27.1.82. During 1982/83 he was watched by several Football League clubs and scored against Thanet once again - in a 6-1 win at Folkestone on 16.4.83. On 26.3.85 Andy got yet another goal against Thanet as Folkestone won 2-0 in the Kent Senior Cup semi-final but he left the club at the end of the 1984/85 campaign and joined Dover.
In February 1986 Andy returned to Folkestone but in October 1987 he was one of six players that walked out due to the club banning its players from playing Sunday League football.
He joined Ashford for the remainder of 1987/88 and made 13 Southern League appearances but then rejoined Folkestone for a third spell in the summer of 1988.
Early in the 1989/90 season Andy was one of four Folkestone players sent off in an FA Cup replay at Redhill and in March 1990 he signed for Hythe.
In the summer of 1991 Andy had a trial with 3rd Division Fulham but he stayed at Hythe until April 1992 when he moved to Margate in a straight swap for goalkeeper Joe Radford.
The Isle of Thanet Gazette described Andy as being "a versatile defender with a wealth of experience behind him" but he made his first appearance for Margate as a striker, scoring in a 2-1 defeat against Andover at Hartsdown Park on 4.4.92. The Thanet Times reported that Andy had a "debut of mixed fortunes" saying that just before half-time he had become "something of a mini-hero in poaching a fine opportunist goal" before his bad back pass gifted Andover a late winner. He played regularly for the remainder of 1991/92, mostly as a midfielder but also featuring as a centre-back as well as up front once more. He made seven appearances in all.
Andy started the 1992/93 campaign in good form and the Thanet Times said he was "outstanding" in midfield as Margate won 4-1 at Watford against Wealdstone on 22.8.92, the opening day of the season. The same paper said he had "an inspired game" at sweeper in a 2-2 draw at Fareham in the FA Trophy on 19.9.92 and Andy was a fixture in the side throughout the campaign, usually playing either in midfield or as a sweeper. The Times said he was "dominant in midfield" in a 2-0 home win over Gravesend & Northfleet on 13.3.93 and Andy finished the season having made 47 appearances (one as sub). He scored once - in a 2-2 draw with Dunstable at Hartsdown on 28.11.92 and also got two goals in nine reserve team games.
Andy continued to be an important part of the Margate side during the 1993/94 campaign and according to the Thanet Times he "gave a formidable display at the heart of the defence" in a 1-0 win over Havant at Hartsdown on 4.9.93. The paper said he was a "lionheart in midfield" during a 3-1 home win over Weymouth on 2.10.93 and praised Andy's "timely interceptions and thoughtful distribution" as Margate beat visitors Erith & Belvedere 1-0 on 23.10.93. The Isle of Thanet Gazette said he was "outstanding" at centre-back in a 2-0 win at Ashford on 16.11.93 and when Margate travelled to Baldock on 18.12.93 Andy had the task of marking a future England player. The game finished 1-1 and the Thanet Times said he "kept a tight rein on free-scoring young striker Kevin Phillips". On 8.3.94 Andy played for the Southern League side in a centenary challenge match against Millwall at Ashford and on 2.5.94 he was part of the side that beat Dover 2-1 at Gillingham's Priestfield Stadium to win the Kent Senior Cup for Margate. In total he made 52 appearances - more than any other player - without scoring during 1993/94 to take his overall tally for the club past 100 matches.
Andy started the 1994/95 season well, usually playing in midfield, and the Isle of Thanet Gazette said he was "especially dominant" in a 1-0 against Wealdstone at Yeading on 24.8.94. On 7.9.94 he scored his first goal for almost two years in a 4-1 win at Tonbridge and Andy was also on target in Margate's next match - a 2-0 win over Merstham in an FA Cup tie at Hartsdown Park on 10.9.94. He fired home a free-kick from 20 yards that the Thanet Times described as "devastating" and the paper said "in the blink of an eye the ball was in the back of the net." The Gazette said Andy was "impressive" in a 5-1 win at Fisher on 4.10.94 but when he played up front in a 1-0 home defeat against Kingstonian in the FA Cup on 8.10.94 the Thanet Times said he "never looked happy in his new role". Andy soon returned to Margate's midfield and scored twice in a 3-1 win over Wealdstone at Hartsdown on 25.10.94. His second goal - a drive from the edge of the penalty area - was described as "magnificent" by the Times. The same paper said that Andy was "dogged" during a 2-1 home win over Burnham on 14.2.95 and on 22.3.95 he played in goal for the last ten minutes of a 2-0 defeat at Havant after Kevin Hudson was sent off. On 6.5.95, the final day of the 1994/95 campaign, Andy played in Margate's 4-0 defeat at Baldock and it was his last game for the club. He left Margate in the summer of 1995 having scored eight goals in 48 appearances during the season.
Andy rejoined Ashford for the start of the 1995/96 campaign and scored 12 goals for them during the season including a hat-trick in a 4-0 win at Dover in an Eastern Floodlight Cup tie on 28.2.96. He stayed with the club for the 1996/97 campaign but retired from senior football due to injury during the season.
Andy was a talented cricketer and was turning out for Lyminge-based club Sibton Park in 2005. He was also playing Sunday League football in the Folkestone area at that time.
In August 2013 Andy turned out for a Folkestone Legends team in a charity match to celebrate former Thanet player John Lineham's 50th birthday and a host of other former Margate / Thanet players were also involved in the game.
Andy worked as a teacher during his time with Margate.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
| |
|
1991/92 (MFC) |
7 (52) |
0 |
1 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (14TH OF 22) |
1QR |
3QR |
1R |
1R |
|
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
| |
|
1992/93 (MFC) |
46 (53) |
1 |
1 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (10TH OF 22) |
2QR |
2QR |
1R |
1R |
|
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
||
|
1993/94 (MFC) |
52 (54) |
0 |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (9TH OF 22) |
3QR |
1QR |
3R |
W |
|
| Played in Kent Senior Cup Final (02.05.94 - beat Dover 2-1 at Gillingham FC). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
||
|
1994/95 (MFC) |
48 (55) |
0 |
8 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (13TH OF 22) |
3QR |
1QR |
3R |
2R |
|