Charlie Allen grew up supporting Linfield and is from Carrickfergus. An attacking midfield player with a low centre of gravity and an eye for a pass, Charlie came through the ranks of Greenisland where he spent six years before moving to Linfield in July 2016, initially playing for the u14 team.

Charlie was regarded as one of the brightest prospects around at youth level and his continued development earned him a senior debut for the Blues on 27 April 2019, aged just 15 years, five months and five days, this making him the club’s youngest ever debutant. Allen marked his debut with an assist, setting up Daniel Reynolds in a 1-1 draw away to Coleraine on the final day of the 2018/19 season.

The following season, Allen was named in Linfield’s 25-man squad for a UEFA Champions League Qualifier against Rosenborg BK by manager David Healy. The midfielder continued to progress, making a further seven senior appearances in the 2019/20 season, as well as scoring in a Steel and Sons Cup final win over Newington for Linfield Swifts.

With several of the UK’s biggest clubs chasing Allen’s services, the exciting 16-year-old signed for newly-promoted Premier League team Leeds United in August 2020. Allen initially played in Leeds’ u18 team before progressing into the u21 team whom he captained on occasion. Although Allen never made a senior appearance, he did have a first-team squad number; 70.

In the second half of the 2023-24 season, Allen went on a one-month loan in the National League with York City, making four appearances for the Minstermen under Neal Ardley’s management.

He left Leeds United following the expiry of his contract in June 2024 and, after training with Linfield and rejecting offers from the UK and Scandanavia, Allen returned for a second spell at Windsor Park, rejoining the Blues in August 2024. The Northern Ireland u21 International made his second debut as a substitute in a 3-1 win over Dungannon Swifts at Windsor Park.