George Clay gets unanimous board approval as new Allen football coach

FROM KEITH GROLLER

George Clay, a former Allen High player and coach, is coming back to his alma mater as the school's new head football coach. He received unanimous school board approval on Thursday night.

The 41-year-old Clay who works at the school as a security guard, succeeds interim coach James Brown who filled in during the 2011 season after Cedric Lloyd resigned shortly before the start of the season.

He is set to become Allen's sixth coach in the last seven seasons. After Kevin Ronalds resigned after 2006 season, Andy Polony coached in 2007, Chris Kinane was in charge in 2008 and '09, Lloyd coached in 2010 and Brown last year.

Allen is just 3-47 over the past five seasons with all three wins coming against cross-town rival Dieruff.

Back in November, the Allentown School District -- with permission from the Lehigh Valley Conference -- joined the Mountain Valley Conference in football only.

"I think a lot of people think about the chance to go back and be the head coach where you played and I am no exception," Clay said. "I am already recruiting kids in the hallway trying to get every kid I can to come out. I want them to understand that we're going to have stability. I've sweat, I've bled on that same field that they're going to be on.

"Allen has won. I've won. I want to show these kids we can win again. It's going to take a lot of dedication from my coaches, the players, our support staff ...everyone involved."

Clay had coached the Little Canaries middle school team for the last three seasons where he got to know some of the current Allen upperclassmen before spending the last two seasons at Salisbury where his son, Trent, is a junior and a member of the football team.

Clay said his two coordinators will be former Salisbury coach Rob Sawicki and Eric Miller, who was on the Salisbury staff last season.

"We're going to hit the ground running," Clay said. "We're going to be in the weight room on Monday, getting started, because we have a lot of work to do."

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