Martin Allen sacked by National League big-spenders Eastleigh after just 14 games in charge


MARTIN ALLEN has been sacked by Eastleigh after just 14 games in charge of the National League side.

The big-spending Spitfires lost 1-0 to Macclesfield last night seeing them fall to 15th place and go seven games without a league victory, nine points above the drop zone.

Eastleigh boss Martin Allen has left the club after just 14 games in charge
Eastleigh boss Martin Allen has left the club after just 14 games in charge
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Former Notts County and Leicester boss Allen, 51, only joined from Barnet on 1 December, opting to drop a league to take charge of the promotion favourites.

Transfer dealings were not an issue in his brief 84-day spell on the south coast, bringing in 13 players and letting 19 players move on.

He only joined from Barnet in December but his time on the south coast has not been happy
He only joined from Barnet in December but his time on the south coast has not been happy
News Group Newspapers Ltd

But he won just two matches out of 14 and departed, leaving the club to find it’s fourth manager of a turbulent season after Chris Todd and Ronnie Moore also left.

Having not won a single home game, he said last night after Macclesfield won that he was “not enjoying it” at the Silverlake Stadium.

"Mad Dog" is known for his passionate demeanour on the touchline
“Mad Dog” is known for his passionate demeanour on the touchline
News Group Newspapers Ltd

He criticised his players last night as well, saying: “I’ve stood back and watched some games here, watched our team play and it’s been awful, nowhere near good enough.

“It’s not acceptable to me; it’s not acceptable to the chairman.
“I’ve had two clubs win championships, with Gillingham and at Barnet, and it’s been through hard work, desire and everybody in the team competing week in, week out.

He has had a lot of success at Barnet, but has left them high and dry on a number of occasions
He has had a lot of success at Barnet, but has left them high and dry on a number of occasions
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“I’m not getting that here at the moment and I’m not enjoying it. I haven’t got the vibe.

“I love the place, I love working with the chairman, I love the atmosphere when the crowd do get behind the players, but the players haven’t given the crowd anything to lift them.”

He spent most of his playing days with West Ham before becoming a manager
He spent most of his playing days with West Ham before becoming a manager
News Group Newspapers Ltd

Allen has a long association with Barnet, who he won the National League title with in 2015 and has managed in four separate spells.

But he also left the Bees high and dry a number of times, moving to Brentford, Notts County, Gillingham and Eastleigh from north London.

He has also had spells in charge of MK Dons, Leicester City and Cheltenham Town, having earned his nickname "Mad Dog" for his tenacious playing career with the likes of QPR and West Ham - and his honest and passionate managerial style.


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