Anyone who watches New England Revolution matches regularly on television knows the legend of Horse Guy.
Horse Guy is Andrew Allen of Norfolk, a Revs fan who attends matches wearing a horse’s head. He appears on your television screen when the home team has a corner kick in the South end of Gillette Stadium. Sometimes he is holding a sign that reads neigh.
Announcers Brad Feldman and Paul Mariner often crack jokes about him and he has been the subject of feature stories in a number of publications, including The Bent Musket.
Mlssoccer.com once called him the most talked about fan in the league.
But, while viewers know he is a Revs fan with a theatrical side, they probably don't know he’s a pretty good soccer player too. Allen was a standout at King Philip Regional High School in Wrentham, Mass., a goal kick away from Gillette Stadium.
For the past three seasons, he has been playing forward for Brandeis University, an outstanding Division III program that won the national championship in 1976. Friday, Brandeis will be in Greensboro, N.C. pursuing another title.
Brandeis will be playing in the semi-finals against perennial power Messiah College, a 10-time national champion.
Greensboro is not exactly Gillette Stadium, but the DIII Final Four will be hosting the best of what small colleges have to offer in soccer.
Allen has done his part for the Judges in their march through the playoffs, scoring a goal against Western Connecticut State in the opening round. This has been his best year, playing in 21 games, starting seven, and scoring five goals with three assists.
“Andrew is a big part of the team and has made a great contribution on the field since he stepped foot on campus,” coach Gabriel Margolis said. “His work rate and dedication are second to none.”
Both of Allen’s parents went to Brandeis and his father is in the school’s Hall of Fame for his outstanding soccer career in the 1980’s, so his roots at the Waltham college run deep.
Margolis said Allen’s character shows through on and off the field.
“As good as Andrew has been on the field for us he has been just as good off of it. He is a top notch student, and has been fantastic working with our social media accounts. Andrew and his families dedication to Brandeis and Brandeis soccer is very special and we are just lucky to have him on our roster,” Margolis said.
And if Brandeis beats Messiah Friday, and the winner of the University of Chicago-North Park University semi on Sunday, Allen will be able to add national champion to his titles of Horse Guy and league’s most talked about fan.