He was a prolific goalkicker during his brief career, but he died suddenly during a preseason game at the age of 22.
Allen played his entire career with the Sunshine Football Club in the VFA.
After playing some Under-16s football with the club from as early as 1961, he became a permanent member of the club's Thirds (Under-19s) team in 1966, where he kicked 98 goals to be the VFA Thirds Division 2 leading goalkicker.
The following year, aged 18, he played for the Seconds, and was again the VFA's Division 2 leading goalkicker.
He immediately established himself as one of the Association's best full forwards, and he was the VFA's Division 2 leading goalkicker in each of 1969 and 1970, kicking 99 and 80 goals respectively – to give him a total of four leading goalkicker awards, across different grades, in just five seasons.