A League One football manager was barred from a town-centre pub for allegedly dropping his trousers at an end-of-season staff party, a bar manager said today. The Cheltenham Town manager Martin Allen – nicknamed "Mad Dog" – was asked to leave and never return to the Salisbury, in Cheltenham, after allegedly taking his shirt off and parading around the pub with his trousers round his ankles.
The incident is said to have taken place during a staff night out, two days before Cheltenham's relegation fate was sealed by a 1–1 draw at home to Carlisle United.
The bar manager, Kirsty Wiseman, 38, told the Gloucestershire Echo that the former Queens Park Rangers and West Ham midfielder Allen was barred for behaving in a "rowdy manner".
She said: "He soon drew attention to himself by behaving in a rowdy manner, dancing up on the stage with his shirt off, surrounded by women.
"Then, when he was standing in front of the bar, he dropped his trousers, before parading up towards the dancefloor."
Police are investigating an incident involving Cheltenham Town manager Martin Allen after he was suspended amid accusations he racially abused a nightclub bouncer.
The 44-year-old reportedly launched a foul-mouthed tirade against doorstaff who refused to let him into Thirteen Degrees in St George's Road, Cheltenham.
Mr Allen is alleged to have called bouncer Garry Saintil a "black bastard" and has now been banned from the nightclub.
Ironically, details of the incident have emerged during national Kick Racism Out of Football Fortnight.
Thirteen Degrees' manager witnessed the racial abuse and says that Mr Allen also mocked his staff over how little they earned compared to him.
The incident, during which Mr Allen was trying to jump a queue of 60 people, was partly captured on CCTV until Mr Allen retreated to the other side of the street and reportedly challenged Mr Saintil to a fight.
The alleged outburst comes four months after Mr Allen was barred from the The Salisbury, in Montpellier Street, after allegedly dropping his trousers and parading in front of pub-goers.
Mr Saintil, who is of African American descent, said: "He was totally out of order. When he realised he wasn't going to be allowed into the club he became insulting and aggressive.
"There were racial undertones in the kind of language he was using and he referred to me as a 'black bastard'.
"He wouldn't accept that he wasn't going to get in. He stayed outside the club for about an hour, prowling around and staring at me from across the street.
"At one point he challenged me to come across to the car park opposite for a fight. He also threatened he was going to get someone to do me in.
"I just told him not to waste his breath. There's no excuse for that kind of behaviour. He was totally obnoxious."
Mr Allen, who took over at Cheltenham Town in September last year, has come under increasing pressure from supporters in recent weeks after a miserable run of results on the pitch.
The Robins are currently 20th in League Two with only three wins from 13 games this season.
Friday's defeat against Macclesfield Town was their fourth defeat in the past six games – a run that has seen them score five times but concede 14.
Thirteen Degrees owner Matthew Bull called his behaviour "disgusting".
Mr Bull, who witnessed the incident and was also one of the targets of Mr Allen's abuse, said he planned to warn other nightclub owners about his antics.
"I was there," he said. "There was quite a large queue outside the venue and he started to try to force his way to the front. He was shouting his name.
"I don't want someone in here who behaves like that. He was a disgrace.
"Our staff do a fantastic job and are all highly experienced.
"He was mocking their roles and making disparaging comments about how much they earn compared to him.
"I went in to try to cool the situation and he was abusive towards me as well. We have had the players in here before and they have never given us any trouble.
"There were a few un-PC comments made by him, including some racial abuse directed towards one of the bouncers.
"I don't intend to take the matter to the police. I think a banning order will be sufficient.
"Unfortunately, Mr Allen doesn't know how to behave himself. He's not welcome here anymore."
Mr Allen hit the headlines for the wrong reasons when he was barred from The Salisbury.
'Mad Dog', as he has been nicknamed by football fans, allegedly danced on the stage with his shirt off before dropping his trousers and parading towards the dancefloor in front of pub-goers during a drunken night out.
Allen this evening issued a denial to the claims.
In a statement released to the League Managers Association website Allen said: "A number of false and grossly untrue allegations have recently been made about me in relation to an alleged incident outside a nightclub a few weeks ago, including the completely untrue allegation that I made a racial remark."
"I wish to confirm that these allegations are untrue and deeply hurtful to me and I will now be taking appropriate steps to clear my name.
"In the meantime, I will be making no further comment."
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