Why both Swindon Town and Bristol City supporters have deep affection for striker who crossed M4 divide | OneFootball

Striker Wayne Allison had a lengthy League career that took in nine clubs, and he's particularly fondly remembered at both Swindon and Bristol City.

Striker Wayne Allison enjoyed a lengthy playing career that took in nine different clubs, and he's particularly fondly remembered at two clubs who might otherwise be considered rivals.

Over a playing career that took in nine clubs, 21 years and more than 750 senior appearances, Wayne Allison was one of the most recognisable faces in the Football League for a very long time indeed.

Nicknamed 'The Chief', Allison made over a hundred appearances for four different clubs, but it was two clubs separated by the dividing line of the M4 motorway who may remember him with the most fondness.

Wayne Allison first made his name at Bristol City

Born in Huddersfield, Wayne Allison started his professional career at Halifax Town in 1987. He joined Watford in 1989, but only made seven appearances for the club before moving on to Bristol City - who'd just been promoted to the Second Division - the following summer as part of a swap deal that valued him at £250,000 and sent winger Mark Gavin in the opposite direction, to Vicarage Road.

Over five years at Ashton Gate, Allison made over 200 appearances for the Robins and scored 57 goals.

Bristol City didn't tear the First Division up while he was there. A 9th-placed finish was the best they could manage during his time with the club, and when they were relegated in 23rd place in 1995, it was time for him to move on.

Wayne Allison had an immediate impact at Swindon Town

Swindon Town were in something of a state of turmoil when they paid £475,000 to take Allison to the County Ground in the summer of 1995. The club had been promoted to the Premier League two years earlier, but this had been followed by two successive relegations down to the Second Division.

But this was a Swindon team that was packed with talent, with familiar names such as Paul Bodin, Ian Culverhouse, Jason Drysdale, Kevin Horlock and the late, great Joey Beauchamp playing for them. Their player-manager was the former Liverpool legend Steve McMahon, too.

And Allison fitted straight into McMahon's system. As a target man striker, he scored 20 goals throughout the 1995-96 season as Swindon raced to the Division Two title and promotion back at the first attempt. But life back in the second-tier was a challenge for Swindon, who struggled all season throughout 1996-97 and ended in 19th place in the table, six points above the relegation places.

By this time, Swindon were in a precarious financial position, and when Huddersfield Town - who'd just finished one place below them in the League - made an offer of £800,000 for the striker in 1999, they were in no position to turn it down. But Allison left The County Ground with his popularity intact.

Wayne Allison would keep playing until he was 39 years old, and there would be further adventures to come. He was part of the Tranmere Rovers squad that reached the League Cup final in 2000 - although he himself was cup-tied for that run - and which knocked Everton out of the FA Cup at Goodison Park the following year.

He joined Sheffield United in 2002, and was part of their squad which reached the semi-finals of both the FA Cup and the League Cup in his first season with the club. And he finished his career at Chesterfield, for whom he made 115 League appearances before retiring from playing in 2008. But it would be at Bristol City and Swindon Town where 'The Chief' would come to be best-remembered.