Ex Factor: Clive Allen on City, Tottenham, Pep and Haaland | OneFootball

Today we begin a new matchday series as we chat with ex-players who starred for both the hosts and the visitors.

We start with Clive Allen, a prolific striker who banged in goals for both City and Tottenham.

How easy a decision was it to join Manchester City in 1989 and what was Mel Machin like as manager?

Well, I’d obviously been in France for a year with Bordeaux.

And the opportunity to come back to England was a big one, obviously City being the club that were interested in signing me. It was an exciting opportunity I felt.

I really liked Mel too. As I spoke to him, he explained obviously that there was a number of very talented youngsters that had moved into the first team squad.

Obviously, I was at an age where he felt my experience could help and the prospect was really exciting.

I knew of the young players and the quality that they had and just felt it was it was a really good fit.

I think I'd always remembered my time when I came to City as a schoolboy at 14. I nearly signed for City then. I was looked after and treated so well that the opportunity to come to City at the end of my career, I wasn't going to pass it up a second time.

How strong a bond did you have with City fans because they seemed to take to you immediately?

It was fantastic. They were great with me. We had a great rapport. I just felt very much at home.

I just loved the atmosphere in terms of the way the club was, the home fans and then the away support I always felt was incredible. They were so passionate about the club.

I think that was the thing that really hit home. It was a really homely club from the moment I walked in.

Obviously, over the years I've been back numerous times and there's still lots of people there now that were there when I was there - which is fantastic!

Injury kept you out of the 5-1 win over United – was that a hard one to watch from the stands?

Yes I was obviously delighted with the result. But it’s always difficult watching and not playing and particularly in a game like that which is still remembered fondly to this day.

Unfortunately I got injured and wasn't able to play.

I just remember it was a magical day to win in the way that we did.

Obviously, I would love to have been playing but it was great for everybody involved at the club. It really was.

You played with some top players but has good was Paul Lake?

Exceptional! Exceptional talent.

It was tragic the injury that he picked up.

I think he would have had an incredible career in respect of playing for England, I have no doubt about that.

I think everybody knew the undoubted quality that he had. We saw it from a very young age.

And it was it was so sad that he didn't have the opportunity to have a long career.

Fast forwarding, Howard Kendall came in – what was he like to play for – different from Mel Machin?

Absolutely yes. Howard had his own unique way.

He was old-school type manager. He trained with us every day. You could see that he was obviously in his day an unbelievable footballer.

I think he had a great understanding of professional footballers, how they worked and the way they thought. I did enjoy it with Howard.

I have to say he was one of the best man managers that I worked with over my career.

As time went on, the partnership of Niall Quinn and David White restricted your opportunities…

Yes, I would say that. Adrian Heath was brought in as well. Wayne Clark too.

Ironically, I left when Peter Reid took over and he didn't feel that that combination was working, although in the games leading up to me knowing that my time here was numbered at City, I think I scored two or three goals and Quinny had made each of them.

So it was just a frustrating time, really, because I thought that I'd struck up a really good rapport with Quinny, who was, a typical centre forward who I could play off of.

I think the way I look back on it now is I just wish I'd played more games with him.

The City fans wanted you to play more and made their feelings known – especially when you were recalled and scored twice away to Notts County, nice to have their backing…

Absolutely. They were incredible.

Obviously, I had that period where I hadn’t been involved, came back into the team or came on as a substitute actually in that game and the reaction and the response from them was unbelievable.

I'd obviously missed it not being involved, but I think they showed how they felt, certainly.

I'll never ever forget that game. That was incredible one.

Was there a clash of personalities with Peter Reid at the time?

Yes, I think so. Peter was a young manager. I’d played in the same team as Peter.

It was early days in his managerial career and he went on to be a fantastic manager and he was a fantastic player and a great competitor.

But I think in those very early days, we just didn't see eye-to-eye.

But listen, that's football. 
We're good friends now. I've worked with him many times in the media over the years and it's quite interesting that we see a lot of things in a similar light.

It was the way it was at that time.

Do you wish you’d had longer in a City shirt than you did?

Yeah, I'd always say that, yes.

But I’ve always said that whatever moment in your career you’re at, you have to make what you think is the best decision at that time.

Looking back in hindsight, yes I would have loved to have stayed on and played many more games, of course.

Favourite moment in a City shirt?

I’d go Boxing Day 1989 against Norwich City at Maine Road.

I came on a sub and scoring the winning goal.

Again, I'd been in and out of the team. I'd got the chance to come on and you know, obviously, being able to score was what I was paid to do.

I'll always remember that one.

You were at White Hart Lane before your time at City, how much did you enjoy your time with Tottenham?

Yes it was a fantastic period in my career.

Obviously, I was following in my father's footsteps going back.

When I arrived, I just felt very much at home because I'd grown up going to Tottenham obviously hearing about how fantastic the Double side was.

But I'd always felt it was my destiny, really, that the opportunity to go and follow in his footsteps.

So, yes being at Spurs was a special time for me, obviously.

Talk to us about that 1986/87 season with Spurs - PFA Players' Player of the Year, Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year, PFA Team of the Year – stuff of dreams…

It was incredible breaking the club record.

It was obviously a record goals-wise too until Erling smashed it here in the Treble season.

What an experience that was. I was playing in the team, taking chances.

As a goalscorer, I got off to the perfect start with a hat trick on the opening day of the season in a 3-0 win at Aston Villa and I really never looked back.

It was a team that was built to attack, created great chances and fortunately, I was on the front line to be on the end of a lot of them.

So it was a wonderful experience and obviously I hope that club record never gets beaten. But I certainly appreciate what Erling has done here ironically, scoring 52 across all competitions when City won the League, FA Cup and Champions League.

WATCH: Erling Haaland: Season One

Did you imagine Erling Haaland - or anyone else for that matter - would ever top that?

I thought it was amazing – the way he went about it when he came to the club.

Was it going to work? We saw very, very quickly and very clearly that the fit was perfect and I have to say even now, City are always a better team when Erling plays.

What have you made of what City have become in the Pep Guardiola era?

It's been nothing short of sensational.

I think the quality of players that have lifted the club to where they've gone to, I think having had the success that they had over such a long period of time has to be great credit to him and his staff and the recruitment.

And the players and the way they have come to City and had to perform at the level that they had.

City have been all powerful for many years now and I think will be very, very strong again this season.

Playing Tottenham – new manager this season in Thomas Frank, what are you expecting from them?

I think they’re going to be very difficult to beat. I think they' be organised, very, very tough team to break down.

Obviously, Thomas is studious with the game and the players know exactly what they need to do or what he wants them to do.

So I think it's going to be going to be very interesting season.

Obviously, it was a bittersweet season last season winning the Europa League was an incredible achievement, considering the league campaign that they’d had.

The experience of the Europa and qualifying for the Champions League, they’re in a very high level. So it's going to be a big test, a big test for the squad, it's going to be a big test for Thomas as well.

But I think that he's more than capable of it.