[1] According to a profile by Lloyd Grove, Allan grew up in Dubbo in the 1950s, preferring reading to the poor television reception in the rural area.
After failing his course at the Australian National University in Canberra, he took a job on the Dubbo The Daily Liberal.
He met Lachlan Murdoch, who eventually told Allan he was to replace Xana Antunes as editor-in-chief of the New York Post in 2001.
Allan took responsibility for running the erroneous 2004 story that Dick Gephardt had been chosen as John Kerry's running mate, described by Grove as "the biggest gaffe of Allan's reign".
[2] In January 2022, former New York Post digital editor Michelle Gotthelf claimed that Col Allan had sexually harassed her and retaliated against her when she reported him.