Mark Allen in a ‘bad place’ and says snooker career may be over

Mark Allen returned to action for the first time since the World Championship in May, but says his snooker career may be over.

His comeback ended in a 4-2 defeat to close friend Jordan Brown at the Northern Ireland Open on Tuesday afternoon, playing for the first time since a Crucible semi-final defeat to Wu Yize, which ended in dramatic circumstances.

The Pistol had a routine black to win the match 17-15 but sent it wide, allowing Wu to take the match to a decider, which the Chinese star won, booking his place in the final with an epic 17-16 victory.

The 40-year-old has not played since, missing a string of big events including the Shanghai Masters, China Open, Wuhan Open, British Open and Shenzhen Open. He also opted out of the English Open, where he would have been defending champion.

Allen has been away since Sheffield due to personal reasons and has kept those reasons close to his chest, as he is perfectly entitled to do.

However, those reasons are clearly still ongoing as Allen has suggested he may have played his last snooker match.

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‘Not good, if I’m honest,’ Allen told TNT Sports of how he felt during the match against Brown. ‘Really overwhelmed, I’m in a bad place at the minute. Even just to go out there and try was tough.

‘I think if I wasn’t playing Jordan I wouldn’t have come back. I felt like, if I was going to play one last time, playing here at the Waterfront where it all started in 2005, against one of my best mates I thought that was a better way to sign out.’

Asked if he was really considering ending his career, he said: ‘Yeah.

‘I’ve been flooded with support but the problems are within. I just don’t see a future for snooker, if I’m honest. It’s sad to say because it’s all I’ve loved to do since I was 12. The last few months have been really difficult and it’s sort of put snooker into perspective for me. At the minute I’m just trying to survive.’

The former UK and Masters champion told the BBC: ‘The last three months have been really, really difficult. I think even just being here today is an achievement.’

On whether he is retiring, he said: ‘I’m not going to announce it right now on the back of a defeat, but it’s something I’ve been contemplating for a while and something needs to change in the next six weeks before the UK championship for me to show up. Something I need to try to work hard on in myself in the next few weeks and see what’s round the corner.’

He returned to the table on home soil in Northern Ireland against long-time friend and practice partner Brown, with the players sharing a warm hug before the match began.

Having been away from tournament snooker for months and clearing struggling off the table, it was little surprise that Allen was not at his best, while Brown is scrapping to stay on the professional tour this season, so the stakes were high and the atmosphere was quite tense.

The former Welsh Open champion got over the line though and booked his spot in the last 32, where he will play Michael Holt.

Brown spoke to TNT Sports ahead of the game, saying: ‘Obviously Mark’s got his issues off the table, I wish him well and it’s great to see him back playing.

‘But let’s let battle commence. I’ve got a job to do.’

After the win, an emotional Brown – who lost his mother earlier this year – said: ‘There’s more important things in life than snooker.

‘That was easily the hardest match I’ve ever had to deal with. I’ve missed him, I love him, just a great guy through and through. As hard as it was I had to concentrate on what I had to do today.

‘I’m not going through the easiest of times myself, but I’m trying to fight tour survival and get my game together. That’s what I had to focus on today, as hard as it was.

‘I never want to go through something like that again.’

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