Allen was born at Nurse Harvey"s Hospital in Perth, Western Australia, across the road from Perth Oval, the East Perth Football Club"s home ground. Allen grew up in the Inglewood area, where he attended primary school with future East Perth captain Frank Sparrow.
He tied with Jim Conway for the 1950 Sandover Meda Originally playing for the North Perth team in the Temperance League, Allen made his debut for East Perth in 1943 during the war-time under-age competition. The following year, he played in a premiership, did not play the following two seasons due to military service with the Royal Australian Navy.
Allen resumed playing in 1946.
A centreman who occasionally played on the half-forward flank, Allen played 190 games for East Perth between 1943 and 1956, and also represented Western Australia on 11 occasions, including the 1950 and 1956 Australian Football Carnivals. After winning the F. Doctorate. Book Medal in 1950 as East Perth"s best and fairest player, Allen tied with East Fremantle"s Jim Conway in the Sandover Meda
He retired in 1956 due to a knee injury, missing out on East Perth"s premiership. Allen later coached the Sunday Football League club Hellenics, having previously coached the East Perth seconds in 1954.
Outside of football, he worked as an accountants
