The bank holiday weekend will not be one to forget for the Allen family.
 
Joe Allen brought down the curtain on an illustrious professional football career in Swansea City’s final game of the season, while mother Jane Allen led Team Wales to an impressive victory in tennis’ Senior Four Nations in Wrexham.
 
Joe was given a guard of honour as he led out his boyhood club at the Swansea.Com Stadium on Saturday. The 35-year-old called timed on his career after almost 600 club appearances and 77 international caps for Wales. He played at Euro 2016, Euro 2020 and the 2024 World Cup and will be remembered as one of the Welsh greats.











 

Jane a stalwart at Haverfordwest Tennis Club

 


Jane has also enjoyed years of success in her own sport, having been a stalwart in Haverfordwest’s team which again won the South Wales winter veterans league title this year.
 
She has captained at county level and has twice had the honour of leading Wales in the Senior Four Nations, a bi-annual tournament featuring teams from Wales, England, Ireland and Scotland.
 
Doubles specialist Jane, along with singles players Ellinore Lightbody and Jenny Burrows, opened the tournament with a convincing 3-0 win over Scotland.
They followed that up with a 2-1 victory over Ireland to set up a title decider against England, which they won 2-1.
 
They were the only Welsh team to win their age group in Wrexham, with the outstanding Lightbody, of Swansea tennis club, winning all six of her singles and doubles matches.
 
Jane said: “I have to admit, when I saw I had Elinore and Jenny in the team, I thought we could do very well, they are both quality players.
“Elinore was simply in a league of her own, she only dropped 13 games throughout the entire weekend, while Jenny played a stormer in the all-important decider.
 
“I couldn’t be prouder of them and it was an honour and a privilege to have played a small part in the victory.
 
“In the 30 years I’ve played tennis I’ve been very lucky to have partnered some outstanding players, none more so than Laura Davies who is among the best veterans’ players in the country.”