Jeannie Allott

Jeannie Allott (born 17 November 1956) is a former footballer who played as a winger. She represented both England and the Netherlands at international level.

Early life Born in Crewe, Jeannie Allott is the granddaughter of champion speedway rider Tommy Allott. She began playing football in the street as a child. When Allott was eight years old she featured in Sports Illustrated's 'Faces in the Crowd' segment, as the only girl playing in the school football team at Wistaston Green Primary School. The school headmaster told Allott she was banned from playing, but she instead joined Foden's Ladies FC.

Club career In 1966 Allott made her debut for Foden's, originally a works team from the Edwin Foden, Sons & Co. lorry manufacturing plant in nearby Sandbach, in a charity match. Her manager bought her a pair of football boots as she couldn't afford to buy her own.

In 1976 Allott moved to the Netherlands and joined the Zwart-Wit '28 club. She has said that she left because at the time "England did absoutely nothing for girls' football". Allott remained in the Netherlands where she worked as a shipping planner.

International career In 1972, Allott progressed through a series of trials to be selected in Eric Worthington's first England team. She scored in the team's first official match, a 3–2 win over Scotland in Greenock on 18 November 1972. At sixteen years and one day old she remains England's youngest goal scorer. In 2022 Allott recalled hitchhiking from her native North West England to London in order to train and play with England.