Hello and welcome to my site. I’m Scott Allen, the writer and author and of the Llama United series. Here’s some stuff about me.
I’ve been writing professionally since the mid-90s, and I’m also available for public speaking, news and feature writing, digital content, script editing, speech writing and other media bits and bobs on a variety of topics. Use the contact page to get in touch.
As I used to be a full-time journalist I thought I’d ask myself some questions which might help you get to know me better.
Where are you from?
I was born and brought up in Epsom, which is in Surrey, and very close to London. Epsom is home to one of the most famous horse races in the world – The Derby, which started way back in 1780.
My favourite picture of all time is The Derby Day by William Powell Frith. My Nana had a copy hanging on her wall and, as a child, I used to spend hours looking at all the people, and wondering what their stories were. It has every walk of life represented in it, rich and poor. Apart from the clothing, and a few more grandstands, Derby Day is very similar today.
Where do you live now?
Not including living in Epsom until I was 18, I only seem to live in places beginning with an ‘L’. I moved to Luton, then London and finally up to Leeds, where I’ve been for over twenty years. I still sound like I’m from the south though, but luckily the friendly Yorkshire folk have made me very welcome. So I decided to stay, got married and had two children. Those three are all from Yorkshire.
Did you always want to be a writer?
No, when I was young I wanted to be a footballer, then a boxer, then a clown, then a cartoonist and finally a taxi driver. As I got older I started looking into the media, and at 17 I began writing for a football fanzine and presenting a weekly radio show on hospital radio. I also made three issues of an unofficial school newspaper that got me into a lot of trouble. It was called the ‘Huge Roast Potato’.
At university I did media production, this was before the internet and before it became the cool thing to do. I thought I was going to be a cameraman, but found myself writing scripts and doing bits of journalism. It was only after I left uni working for free on local papers, fanzines and an extra journalism course that I stumbled into my first proper writing job.
It would be another twenty years before I found the time to write a book.
Which football team do you support?
West Ham United. I started following them when I was five and since then we haven’t won a major trophy. Boo!!! When I lived down south I used to have a season ticket, but now I’m restricted to away games in the north.
When I’m not watching West Ham, I try and catch Sutton United when they are in Yorkshire, plus I do occasionally go to random non-league games. Sometimes going to grassroots football is much more fun than the top level stuff. It’s much easier to get a pie. So keep an eye out for me at lower league grounds on a Saturday afternoon or midweek evening.
Who are your favourite players?
So many, it’s hard to pick. This is in no order; Ludek Miklosko, Phil Parkes, Julian Dicks, Ray Stewart, Bobby Moore, Alvin Martin, Billy Bonds, Sir Trevor Brooking, Alan Devonshire, Paolo Di Canio. My current favourite West Ham player changes all the time depending on who is playing well.
What’s your favourite food?
Thai…and my mum’s cakes, but not on the same plate.
What’s your favourite film?
Escape to Victory. It’s a film about prisoners of war in World War 2, who play the Germans at football. It’s brilliant. It stars lots of famous footballers like Pele, Ossie Ardiles and lots of Ipswich Town players. Proper actors Michael Caine is the captain, and Sylvester Stallone is the American goalkeeper.
Actually, I love most sport films, even the really bad ones.
What’s your favourite book?
I have two. Hitch Hikers’ Guide to the Galaxy and Treasure Island. Hitch Hikers’ is very very funny and silly, but it really makes you think too. Treasure Island is about pirates, what more could you want.
What’s your favourite bit of art?
It’s called Derby Day and it’s by…hang on I’ve mentioned that already.
What is your favourite type of bread?
A pretzel, the big doughy ones not snack type ones. Although I do like them too.
Quick fire favourite round? Drink – colour – animal – sport other than football – motorway service station – band – river – country – shoe.
Tea – claret n’ blue – llama – cricket – Leicester Forest East – Madness – Thames – Italy – trainer
If you had a choice between having the body of duck and the head of a man, or the body of a man and a head of a duck, which would you choose?
This is getting silly now, I think you’ve found out plenty about me by now, shall we stop….?
Yes
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Here’s a picture of me, it’s not a pretty sight so I’ve hidden it at the bottom of this page where it can’t upset very small children or family pets.
