After making his Leicester Tigers debut as a teenager in 1961, John Allen became almost an ever-present at scrum-half over 16 seasons, totalling 457 appearances with his only senior club.

Only David Matthews and Sid Penney have worn the Leicester shirt more in the club’s 130-plus years of history.

Fittingly, the hard-working scrum-half scored a try in a win over Bath in his final game in 1975 before serving the club as treasurer, secretary and director.

Former Lutterworth Grammar School pupil Allen built efficient relationships with a succession of Tigers back rows and scored nearly 300 points in his senior career, including 58 tries, for the club which he captained in 1970-71.