Allen Solomon Burns (31 August 1870 – 8 November 1925) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the South Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[1]

Allen Burns
Personal information
Full name Allen Solomon Burns
Date of birth (1870-08-31)31 August 1870
Place of birth Steiglitz, Victoria
Date of death 8 November 1925(1925-11-08) (aged 55)
Place of death South Melbourne, Victoria
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1897–1898; 1901–1903 South Melbourne 40 (23)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1903.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Born in the small Victoria town of Steiglitz, Burns often played on the half-forward line, and he was noted for kicking goals from quite acute angles using what today would be known as a checkside or banana kick.[2] He was the leading goalkicker for South Melbourne in 1894.[3]

He was the younger brother of Peter Burns, a legend of the game who played with South Melbourne and Geelong. In a VFA match in 1896 where the brothers were in rival teams, Allen made a significant contribution towards South's victory over Geelong.[4]

Allen Burns died in South Melbourne at the age of 55.

References

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  1. ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2014). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (10th ed.). Seaford, Victoria: BAS Publishing. p. 115. ISBN 978-1-921496-32-5.
  2. ^ "Obituary". The Record. Vol. XXX, no. 45. Victoria. 14 November 1925. p. 5. Retrieved 14 February 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "SOUTH MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB". The Age. No. 12, 505. Victoria. 28 March 1895. p. 7. Retrieved 14 February 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "GEELONG V. SOUTH MELBOURNE". Geelong Advertiser. No. 15, 355. Victoria. 25 May 1896. p. 3. Retrieved 14 February 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
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