Allen McKnight

Allen Darrell McKnight (born 27 January 1964) is a Northern Irish former international footballer who played professionally in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England, and Hong Kong as a goalkeeper.

Club career
Born in Antrim, McKnight played youth football for a number of local clubs including Crumlin Boys, Crumlin Rec., and Chimney Corner.

He began his senior career in 1984 with Distillery, and he also played for Celtic, Albion Rovers, West Ham United, Airdrieonians, Stockport County, Rotherham United, Walsall, South China and Exeter City.

Celtic
McKnight signed for Celtic in August 1986, joining up again with his former Distillery teammate Anton Rogan who had arrived at Parkhead a few months earlier. He did not feature in any first-team games in his first year, and was loaned out to Albion Rovers to gain experience of the Scottish game. With the departure of Peter Latchford in the summer of 1987, McKnight rose up in the pecking order at Celtic to second-choice keeper, behind first choice Packie Bonner. McKnight played several games for Celtic at the start of season 1987–88 in place of Bonner who had contracted a virus. He made his debut in a 5–1 win away to Dumbarton in a league cup tie on 26 August 1987 and went on to play in three Old firm league games, a 1–0 win at Parkhead, a 2–2 draw at Ibrox and a 2–0 win in the New Year game at Parkhead. Bonner regained his place in the team upon his recovery from illness, but McKnight's 12 league appearances and 5 clean sheets helped the club to win the League Championship.  An injury to Bonner in May 1988 saw McKnight play in the 1988 Scottish Cup Final against Dundee Utd, and he won another winner's medal as Celtic triumphed 2–1 at Hampden. McKnight left Parkhead for West Ham a couple of months later.

West Ham United
During his West Ham United career he was known by the fans as McKnightmare because of his frequent goalkeeping errors. Signed from Celtic in the summer of 1988 McKnight made his West Ham debut on 10 September 1988 in a 1–0 away win against Wimbledon. Competing for the goalkeeper's place with an ageing Phil Parkes, McKnight played all his 23 league games for West Ham in his first season. His last league game coming on 23 May 1989, a 5–1 away defeat to Liverpool which saw West Ham relegated to the Second Division. He had to wait eighteen months for his next game, also a 5–1 defeat, away to Luton Town in the Full Members Cup.

He later played non-league football with teams including Collier Row, Romford and Collier Row & Romford (a merger of his two previous teams).

International career
McKnight earned 10 caps for the Northern Ireland national football team between 1987 and 1989.

Honours
Celtic 
Scottish League (1): 1987–88
Scottish Cup (1): 1987-88

References

External links
 
 NIFG

Category:1964 births
Category:Living people
Category:Association footballers from Northern Ireland
Category:Northern Ireland international footballers
Category:Chimney Corner F.C. players
Category:Lisburn Distillery F.C. players
Category:Celtic F.C. players
Category:West Ham United F.C. players
Category:Airdrieonians F.C. (1878) players
Category:Stockport County F.C. players
Category:Rotherham United F.C. players
Category:Walsall F.C. players
Category:South China AA players
Category:Expatriate sportspeople from Northern Ireland in Hong Kong
Category:Exeter City F.C. players
Category:Romford F.C. players
Category:People from Antrim, County Antrim
Category:Expatriate footballers in Hong Kong
Category:English Football League players
Category:Scottish Football League players
Category:Collier Row F.C. players
Category:Association football goalkeepers