Early Life and Playing Career
Allardyce was born in 1954 at a recently built council house in Ash Green on the Old Park Farm Estate in Dudley, Worcestershire. He was the son of Robert Allardyce (1916–1989) and Mary Agnes Allardyce (1918–1991). He has an older brother, Robert junior, who was born in 1951.
He was educated at Sycamore Green Primary School and later at Wren's Nest Secondary School. He was a boyhood Wolves fan and regularly attended Molineux to watch them play.
He joined Bolton Wanderers as a centre-half in 1973 and is best remembered as a player for being part of the side which won the Second Division title in 1977–78 to secure promotion to the First Division.
Allardyce was signed by Ken Knighton to play for Sunderland for whom he played 25 times during the 1980–81 season. He also played for Huddersfield Town, Coventry City, Millwall and Preston North End, whom he captained to promotion from the Fourth Division in 1986–87.
He played in the United States in the North American Soccer League for the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The football team shared facilities with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Allardyce applied many practices of American football (gridiron) towards soccer (with regards to training, player management and tactics). These innovative ideas helped him progress in football management.
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