Player #357 for Aston Villa, James Phillips Allen, known as Jimmy Allen, played as a centre back for the club. Jimmy played for Villa between 1934-35 and 1938-39 making 161 appearances and scored 3 goals.

Jimmy was born in Poole, Dorset on 16 October 1909 and made his debut appearance for Villa on the 25 August 1934 aged 24.

Villa had signed Jimmy from from Portsmouth for a fee of £10,775 in June 1934. The fee paid was, at the time, both a club and British record transfer fee however despite the stylish and quick thinking centre half being a key cog in Villa’s pre war armoury Jimmy was unable to help Villa avoid relegation from Division One for the first time in the club’s history in 1935-36.

Jimmy did, however, go on to captain the side in the Second Division championship winning season of 1937-38 and helped Villa re-consolidate their position as a Division One side in 1938-39.

Villa’s pre-war captain was still on the books when football resumed post WW2 with the regional league in 1945-46 and for the first season of League football proper in 1946-47.

Jimmy had undertaken essential war work in the South of England whilst football was in abeyance through WW2 and despite his reappearance at the club post war, he was forced to retire due to injury in 1944 having played his last game for Villa on 6 May 1939 aged 29.

Jimmy had played under Villa’s first manager proper, Jimmy McMullan and his successor Jimmy Hogan.

Jimmy passed away in Southsea on 8th February 1995 aged 85."