| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Cruz Anthony Allen | ||
| Date of birth | 25 February 2007 | ||
| Place of birth | England | ||
| Position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
FC Halifax Town (on loan from Derby County) | ||
| Number | 27 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Burton Albion | |||
| –2025 | Derby County | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023– | Derby County | 3 | (0) |
| 2026– | → Halifax Town (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2022 | Wales U15 | 3 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | Wales U16 | 7 | (1) |
| 2023–2024 | Wales U17 | 13 | (2) |
| 2024 | Wales U18 | 3 | (0) |
| 2024–2026 | Wales U19 | 18 | (1) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 11:00, 30 August 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 19:30, 22 July 2026 (UTC) | |||
Cruz Anthony Allen (born 25 February 2007) is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for National League club Halifax Town, on loan from EFL Championship club Derby County. He is a Wales Under 19 international.
A youth product of Derby County, Allen made his first team debut in 2023, he signed his first professional contract in 2024. He made his league debut in 2026. He was loaned out to FC Halifax Town in August 2026.
Allen started his footballing career in the Burton Albion academy, before joining the Derby County academy at under-10 level. Allen progressed through the age groups in Derby's academy, making his first appearances for the under-18s aged 16 in the 2022–23 season. The 2023–24 saw Allen became a regular in the under-18s, he made his debut for the under-21 at age of 16.
On 8 November 2023, Allen made his debut for the first team of Derby County, aged 16 in a 4–1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers U21 in the EFL Trophy as a 79th-minute substitute for Adebayo Fapetu. In this game, he showed a good ability on the ball and came close to scoring.
After interest from Premier League clubs such as Chelsea, Manchester United and Newcastle United, Allen signed first professional contract at Derby County in March 2024, on a deal until June 2026. The 2024–25 season saw Allen become a regular in the under-21 team at Derby and he featured in two first team match day squads an unused substitute.
On 21 February 2026, Allen made his second appearance for the first team and his first in the league, as he came as injury time substitute for Lewis Travis in a 2–0 Championship defeat to Watford. Allen made three appearances for the Derby County first team in the 2025–26 season.
On 15 May 2026, it was announced that Allen was "in discussion about his future" at Derby County with his contract expiring in June 2026. On 24 June 2026, it was announced that Allen had signed a new two-year contract at Derby County.
On 28 August 2026, Allen joined FC Halifax Town of the National League on a month's loan. He made his debut for Halifax later that day as a 70th minute substitute in a 2–1 defeat to Altrincham.
Allen has been capped by Wales at under-15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 level. Allen featured in the squad for Wales under-17 in the 2024 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. He qualifies for Wales through his Welsh-born father.
An attacking midfielder, Allen has been described as a player with strengths being his composure on the ball, his abilities at taking free-kicks were also notable in his youth career.
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Derby County | 2023–24 | League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024–25 | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2025–26 | Championship | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2026–27 | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| FC Halifax Town (loan) | 2026–27 | National League | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||