Keith Allen

Keith was born on 26th July 1947 at Margate, Kent, being the son of Kenneth (a Local Government Officer) and Gylian Allen (nee Rees). His education started in 1951 at the Lelant Kindergarden School, Westgate, and then Westgate Church of England Primary School, where he later passed his eleven plus exam. His family moved from Kent to Hertfordshire and from 1958 he attended Queen Elizabeth Grammar School for Boys at Barnet. In 1968 he attended Barnet College of Education on a Mechanical Technician's course and later the Southgate Technical College on an ONC Engineering course. He passed both with distinction.

His working career began in 1964 at the age of 17 becoming a trainee draughtsman for Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd, Southgate, London, then in 1968 he worked for Clockhouse Engineering Ltd, at Barnet, as their design draughtsman. Two years later he became Design Engineer for Cosmos Instruments Ltd, at Letchworth, and in 1973 joined Dexion Ltd, at Wembley, Middlesex, as their Marketing Salesman. He left in 1977 to work for Storage Techniques Ltd, in their works at Milton Keynes and at Braintree. He was firstly Assistant then General Manager and finally Works Director up until 1984. In 1985 he formed his own company, becoming a Director of Allen Mezzanines Ltd and Allen Commercial Interiors Ltd situated at Croft Lane, Letchworth, Hertfordshire.

At the age of 20 on 23rd September 1967 Keith married Julia Pauline Allen (nee Stephenson) and later they had two sons, Nigel, and Andrew. The family became involved in roller skating when both sons in 1983/84 joined the Milton Keynes RHC. However, the distance from their home at Letchworth was twenty miles or more from this club and so Keith, with other parents, formed their own Letchworth RHC in 1985, Keith becoming the Club President. Their teams played in the Eastern Counties Roller Hockey Association (ECRHA) league and cup competitions. Dennis Arthurs (former Alexandra Palace and England International goalkeeper) was the driving force behind this Association but tragically died on 21st June 1988. By this time Keith had become heavily involved in the running of the Association and thus took over as President.

With his outstanding ability to organize and promote the game and drive the club on they went into the senior game for the very first time for the 1989-1990 season by entering their first team in the NRHA National League Division One. They remained in this league until they entered the Premier League (NRHA's highest league in the country) when they were placed 3rd at the end of the 1996-1997 season. Amazingly, Letchworth were crowned Champions of England when they won the 1998-1999 Premier League by winning the "Kimber Trophy". This is a wonderful achievement considering that when they were first formed in 1984, they were complete novices starting from scratch. Apart from Keith’s' driving influence and leadership to be the best, Carlos Amaral's involvement as coach of the club from the early days of its formation deserves equal praise as both of these two fine gentlemen have worked as a team together throughout their hockey careers. The club won the country's second highest competition for the title of Cup Champions of England for the NRHA Challenge Cup in 1998 and 2005. They were runners-up in 2000 and 2003.

From club level to international level Keith became the Team Manager of the England National team at the 42nd European Roller Hockey Championships held in Italy in 1996 with Carlos Amaral as Coach. From that first time he has been as Manager to Championships (World or European) on no less than ten times, to Italy (2); Brazil (1); Portugal (2); Macau, Asia (1); Switzer land (1); Argentina (1); Uruguay (1); and finally, England (1); being the only World Championship Group B ever to be held here which England won. This for Keith was, as he said, his most exciting and exhilarating time in the game.

Keith Frederick Mark Allen is unique in the history of our sport. He is the first person in our Association to serve two terms of office as President. The first covered five seasons from 1997 to 2002 and the second term of seven seasons from 2004 to 2011- total of twelve seasons in all. Only the Earl of Lonsdale was President for longer and that was from 1911 to 1939/40. Keith is also the only President since 1939, who under his managership, led the England National team to win the World Roller Hockey Championships Group B in 2000 at Buckmore Park, Kent, England. He has said this was the most exciting time of his life in the game. In his own words,

"I wanted to prove that we had the talent in England to do well if we could take away the financial restrictions surrounding team selection". 

It is important to note that it has been a major problem in the amateur game in this country that at times the best players selected have not been able to go to World or European Championships simply because they have not been able to afford the cost of travel and their accommodation whilst there, even though they would be representing their country. Bluntly, the Association has had insufficient funds to pay the teams' costs.

Becoming President of the NRHA in 1997, he has through the Executive Committee, worked tirelessly to raise the standards of coaches, referees, league and cup administrators, players, and the promotion of the Cup Final days each year. This brings all those in the sport together from around the country. He has on many occasions acted as ambassador in attending the meetings of the CIRH and CERH who govern the world game.

Keith is for the 2010-2011 season in the following positions: Director of the British Roller Sports Federation (BRSF); President and Treasurer of the National Roller Hockey Association of England (NRHA); NRHA Chairman of the Committee of Roller Hockey Referees (CRHR); President of the Eastern Counties Roller Hockey Association (ECRHA) and the Letchworth RHC.

It is fair to say that since becoming involved with the sport way back in 1984 Keith Allen has been a man of action who makes things happen and is in the same mold as ex-Presidents Gerry Trott and Geoff Witte. With great wisdom and vision, he has shaken up the amateur game for the better against certain negative aspects within it, being a man of charm and charisma who instills much confidence in whoever he meets. His business experience has helped the Association enormously and his own personal financial investment into the game has been one of outstanding generosity.

Keith continues to hold the Presidency of the NRHA and when the time comes for him to stand down, he will go down in history as one of the greatest Presidents that we have been most fortunate and privileged to have, a great leader and friend.

He was made an Honorary Life Member of the NRHA in 2004.

Eventually stood down as President of NRHA in 2019 having served for 15 years in the second term.