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Joe was in October 2023 on the books of Swansea City, having announced his retirement from international football. Indeed, it had all begun for him at Swansea at that age of 17, when he came from Tenby Youth and made his league debut, going on to play 150 times over six seasons, including a two-match loan spell at Wrexham. He played under managers Roberto Martinez and Brendan Rodgers, but when Rodgers went on to be Liverpool manager he took Allen with him. Joe played 91 games at Anfield before leaving in 2016 to get regular starts for Stoke City. He made 212 appearances for Stoke until 2022, suffering several bad injuries. In July 2022 he rejoined Swansea. He had by October 2023) passed 450 league games overall, scoring just 31 times. At international level he played for Wales at under-17, 19 and 21 levels before a full debut against Estonia in 2009. He was voted Wales’ Player of the Year in 2012 and two years later he was captain. In Euro 2016 as Wales reached the semi-finals he was named in the team of the tournament for his hard midfield grafting. In February 2023 he retired from the Wales side. With his brother losing his hearing due to meningitis at the age of three, Joe went on to be an ambassador for Action on Hearing Loss Cymru in 2015. His brother had become the Wales Deaf football team’s captain.
