Allen McKnight

Allen Darrell McKnight (born 27 January 1964) is a Northern Irish former international footballer who played professionally in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England, and Hong Kong as a goalkeeper.

Allen McKnight
Personal information
Full name Allen Darrell McKnight[1]
Date of birth (1964-01-27) 27 January 1964
Place of birth Antrim, Northern Ireland
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
Crumlin Boys
Crumlin Rec.
Chimney Corner
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1984–1986 Distillery 68 (0)
1986–1988 Celtic 12 (0)
1986–1987 → Albion Rovers (loan) 36 (0)
1988–1991 West Ham United 23 (0)
1991 Airdrieonians 2 (0)
1991 Stockport County 0 (0)
1991 Rotherham United 3 (0)
1991–1992 Walsall 8 (0)
1992–1994 South China ? (?)
1994 Exeter City 10 (0)
1994–1995 Collier Row ? (?)
1995–1996 Romford 23 (0)
1996–1997 Collier Row & Romford 19 (0)
Total 162 (0)
National team
1987–1989 Northern Ireland 10 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Born in Antrim, McKnight played youth football for a number of local clubs including Crumlin Boys, Crumlin Rec., and Chimney Corner.

He began his senior career in 1984 with Distillery, and he also played for Celtic, Albion Rovers, West Ham United, Airdrieonians, Stockport County, Rotherham United, Walsall, South China and Exeter City.

Celtic

McKnight signed for Celtic in August 1986, joining up again with his former Distillery teammate Anton Rogan who had arrived at Parkhead a few months earlier.[2] He did not feature in any first-team games in his first year, and was loaned out to Albion Rovers to gain experience of the Scottish game. With the departure of Peter Latchford in the summer of 1987, McKnight rose up in the pecking order at Celtic to second-choice keeper, behind first choice Packie Bonner. McKnight played several games for Celtic at the start of season 1987–88 in place of Bonner who had contracted a virus. He made his debut in a 5–1 win away to Dumbarton in a league cup tie on 26 August 1987[3] and went on to play in three Old firm league games, a 1–0 win at Parkhead, a 2–2 draw at Ibrox and a 2–0 win in the New Year game at Parkhead. Bonner regained his place in the team upon his recovery from illness, but McKnight's 12 league appearances and 5 clean sheets[4] helped the club to win the League Championship. An injury to Bonner in May 1988 saw McKnight play in the 1988 Scottish Cup Final[5] against Dundee Utd, and he won another winner's medal as Celtic triumphed 2–1 at Hampden.[6] McKnight left Parkhead for West Ham a couple of months later.

West Ham United

During his West Ham United career he was known by the fans as McKnightmare because of his frequent goalkeeping errors.[7][8] Signed from Celtic in the summer of 1988 McKnight made his West Ham debut on 10 September 1988 in a 1–0 away win against Wimbledon.[9] Competing for the goalkeeper's place with Phil Parkes, McKnight played all his 23 league games for West Ham in his first season. His last league game coming on 23 May 1989, a 5–1 away defeat to Liverpool which saw West Ham relegated to the Second Division. He had to wait eighteen months for his next game, also a 5–1 defeat, away to Luton Town in the Full Members Cup.[9]

He later played non-league football with teams including Collier Row, Romford and Collier Row & Romford (a merger of his two previous teams).

International career

McKnight earned 10 caps for the Northern Ireland national football team between 1987 and 1989.

Honours
Celtic

References
  1. "Allen McKnight". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
  2. jcd (1 July 2007). "N.I.F.G. – Allen McKnight". Nifootball.blogspot.co.uk.
  3. The Glasgow Herald 'The Sons Suffer as Celts Bounce Back to Form' 27 August 1987
  4. http://www.fitbastats.com/celtic/player_games.php?playerid=630
  5. "McKnight The Belfast Telegraph 'The Bhoys from Northern Ireland' 29 September 2010". Belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 29 September 2010.
  6. Wilson, Brian (1988). "Celtic – A Century With Honour"
  7. Cruise, Ian (4 September 2009). "Heurelho Gomes, David James, Fabien Barthez and the top 10 dodgy keepers". www.mirrorfootball.co.uk. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  8. "McKnightmare taught me to laugh in face of defeat". www.thisisexeer.co.uk. 20 September 2008. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  9. "Welcome to the Wonderful World of West Ham United Statistics – Allen McKnight". www.westhamstats.info. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  • Allen McKnight at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database
  • NIFG
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