Messina Allman

Messina Wilson Allman, better known as “Dick”, had a much-travelled career that took him through the Football League, Southern League and clubs in Wales. Although primarily an inside-forward, his sole Liverpool appearance came in a deeper position, and he later extended his playing career by moving into central defence. Born in Burslem on 5 April 1883, Allman joined his hometown professional club, Burslem Port Vale, in April 1903. He became their leading scorer in 1904/05 with eight goals in 27 Second Division appearances, a useful contribution in a season when Vale struggled near the bottom of the table. His performances earned him a move to Reading in May 1905, where he enjoyed two productive seasons in the Southern League, scoring 17 goals in 63 league and FA Cup appearances. One particularly unusual achievement came during Reading’s 13–5 victory over Parisien Athletique on 20 September 1905, when Allman scored six times. The match offered a striking example of his goalscoring ability, although it was outside the regular league programme.

Allman's next moves brought less stability. He joined Portsmouth in 1907 but made only one Southern League appearance before transferring to Plymouth Argyle in December. He found more opportunities there, scoring seven goals in 21 first-team matches as Argyle finished runners-up in the Southern League in 1907/08. A move to Stoke followed in May 1908, but he didn't appear for their first team before joining Liverpool that July. Liverpool recruited him as a forward capable of filling any of the inside positions. The August 1908 preview in the Cricket and Football Field identified his experience at Reading and Burslem Port Vale among the qualifications of the club’s new recruits. Competition was considerable: Liverpool had fourteen forwards on their books, with established players such as Arthur Goddard, Bobby Robinson, Jack Parkinson, Joe Hewitt, Ronald Orr and Jack Cox ahead of the newcomers in the anticipated first-team selection. Allman therefore arrived with a respectable scoring record but no guarantee of a place in Tom Watson’s attack. His opportunity finally came against Bristol City at Anfield on 13 March 1909, almost eight months after his arrival. Rather than playing in his customary attacking role, he was selected at right-half alongside Jimmy Harrop and James Hughes. Liverpool lost 2–1, with Tom Chorlton scoring their goal from the penalty spot and Willis Rippon netting both Bristol goals. It proved to be Allman’s only competitive first-team appearance for Liverpool.

Allman subsequently found greater success at Wrexham. Their records credit him with 18 goals in 39 competitive appearances during 1909/10, including fifteen in the Birmingham and District League. His most important contribution came in the Welsh Cup final on 28 March 1910, when he scored the winning goal in a 2–1 victory over Chester. His Liverpool career had been fleeting, but he was capable of making a decisive contribution elsewhere. Further spells with Grantham and Ton Pentre preceded another Football League opportunity at Leicester Fosse. Allman scored three times in seven Second Division appearances during 1911/12, but again failed to establish a lasting place. It was at Croydon Common, whom he joined in 1912, that he finally enjoyed a longer period of continuity. Over the next three peacetime seasons, he made 86 Southern League and FA Cup appearances and scored 23 goals. He also played regularly in the Southern Football Alliance, contributing another twelve goals in 27 appearances. Allman helped Common win the Southern League Second Division championship in 1913/14, earning promotion to the competition’s leading division. His years in Croydon brought both regular football and another championship honour.

The First World War interrupted that settled spell. Allman enlisted in 1915 and served in France with the Royal Garrison Artillery. He nevertheless remained involved in wartime football, making 32 appearances and scoring four goals for Croydon Common in 1915/16. He played in the club’s final match and scored its last goal before Common ceased playing. During the war, he also appeared as a guest for Watford and Arsenal. Following his demobilisation, Allman joined Crystal Palace in 1919, principally playing as a reserve centre-half. He later fulfilled a similar role at Maidstone, adapting his position as his long career approached its end. Away from football, he remained in Croydon and worked as a tramway conductor. He died there in 1943, aged sixty.

Allman’s place in Liverpool’s records rests on a single afternoon at Anfield, but his wider career included scoring achievements, a Welsh Cup-winning goal and Southern League championship success. His brief experience of Liverpool was one episode in a footballing life that continued through frequent transfers, military service and the upheaval of wartime.