AFC Totton
AFC BOURNEMOUTH UNDER-18s goalkeeper Mack Allan has joined AFC Totton on loan, until the end of the season.
Mack has been with The Cherries since he was 7 years-old, and has been mentored in the ways of goalkeeping by the former Everton and Wales No.1 Neville Southall – held by many to have been one of the greatest shot-stoppers of his generation.
The 17-year-old comes from fine footballing stock. His grandad was the late, great Alan Ball, which makes AFC Totton boss Jimmy Ball his uncle. He is also cousins with Manchester City’s highly-rated midfielder James McAtee, who is currently on loan at Sheffield United, and James’s younger brother John McAtee, who is contracted to Luton Town but was a loanee member of the Grimsby Town side that embarrassed Southampton in the Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round at the beginning of March.
Originally an outfield player, Mack attended the Matt Le Tissier Academy as a child. In the absence of a goalkeeper, he volunteered to go between the sticks for a game against a team from AFC Bournemouth. He performed so well, that The Cherries later made contact with his mum – Jimmy Ball’s sister, Keely – to invite him to join their pre-academy, along with his older brother, who is also called Jimmy.
Mack has been with the Vitality Stadium club ever since, impressing for the U16s last season to earn his place in the U18s squad, where he works under the former Cherries forward Alan Connell, who rounded out his 15-year playing career with a spell in non-league football at Havant & Waterlooville and then Poole Town.
Now a first-year scholar at Bournemouth, Mack is prepared to be patient for his chance to become the U18’s No.1 in the face of stiff competition from Ollie Camis and Noah Crisp. As he told The Cherries’ website in October, he is determined to do well in training and work hard to prove himself, including making the most of any game time he is offered. In addition to the U18s, he has also trained with the Development Squad, and he says the experience of training with the older players has helped him.
The Neville Southall connection came by virtue of the whole family – Jimmy Ball included – being lifelong Everton fans; there is a statue of Alan Ball outside Goodison Park, referencing the World Cup-winning midfielder’s stint with The Toffees from 1966-1971.
“I got in touch with Neville through an Everton fan who is close with him. He gave him my number and Neville texted me to say if I ever needed anything to give him a ring,” the youngster told afcb.co.uk.
“If I’ve been down or needed some help or advice, I’ll give him a ring or a text and he’s always quick to reply. He’s an idol of mine but I’m in touch with him as well, so it’s good. He was great friends with my grandad so he’s helping me out, which is nice.”
Mack is also very close to his uncle Jimmy, with whom he regularly plays golf: “He’s had a couple of good coaching roles in different academies, as well as being manager at Forest Green Rovers and now AFC Totton, and he is a very good person to talk to.”
The youngster’s signing comes at a crucial stage in the season with The Stags potentially fighting for silverware on three fronts, with top spot in the Southern League Div.1 South table set firmly in their sights with whoever wins the title going into a subsequent Champion of Champions Final against their Southern League Div.1 Central counterparts. Totton are already through to the Final of the Southampton Senior Cup at St. Mary’s Stadium, where they will face local rivals Sholing on a date to be confirmed.
Both the recent back-up goalkeeper Charlie Searle and the Italian Electronics & Engineering student Giulio Girelli have left the club by mutual consent over the last fortnight, leaving the Bournemouth youngster Mack Allan to step forward and be ready to fill the void, should the need arise.
“We have a busy fixture list going into the run-in, and the weather may yet interfere with our schedule even more than it has already this season. If that happens, and we end up playing three or four games in a week, we don’t want some innocuous injury to Lewis Noice ruining things for us at this late stage,” explained The Stags’ boss.
“Lewis has been outstanding for me since I arrived. The determination he showed to get back, fit and playing, as soon as possible after that nasty injury he suffered against Lymington Town on Boxing Day was exceptional. Adding Mack to the squad now gives us that little bit of extra insurance, just in case Lewis picks up a knock.
“Obviously, with Mack being my nephew, I know him very well – he’s a great kid who will work hard while he’s with us. He’ll learn a lot, and if we do need to call upon him, I have every confidence in both his attitude and his ability to do well.”
By Ben Rochey-Adams
Images courtesy of Craig Hobbs Photography
