Snooker's Mark Allen says he'll be mentally stronger by UK Championship

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 25 Oct, 12:20 · Archive

Mark Allen says he expects to be in a better mental place by the UK Championship in late November.

Mark Allen, the former world number one, has said he expects to be in a better mental place by the UK Championship, which begins in late November. Allen, 40, returned to competitive snooker at the Northern Ireland Open after completing ten weeks of treatment at a mental health facility. He lost in the opening round to Jordan Brown and afterwards acknowledged he was 'not OK', conceding the match could have been his last.

Allen has since released a statement expressing that he is 'completely overwhelmed' by the flood of supportive messages he has received since revealing his mental health struggles. He wrote on social media: 'As I continue my treatment and my recovery, I now know that I simply have to raise more awareness around mental health in the future.'

Allen said there is 'best part of six weeks before the UK Championship starts' and 'all being well', he will be in a better place by then. He added: 'For now it's just one day at a time.' He has also reached out to other accounts who responded to his posts about suicide, requesting direct messages to offer support.

How it is being reported

• 'I am a good dad': Snooker star Mark Allen shares handwritten pages of 'positive affirmations' as he vows to shine light on mental health struggles - days after revealing he has spent 10 weeks in a clinicSnooker star Mark Allen has thanked fans for their 'overwhelming' support after he revealed his mental health battles - and shared handwritten notes detailing 'positive affirmations'.Daily Mail Sport · 25 Oct, 13:24
• Mark Allen 'completely overwhelmed' after opening up about mental healthThe snooker player has given fresh hope that he may return to competitionIndependent Sport · 25 Oct, 12:49
• Mark Allen 'overwhelmed' and drops snooker future hint after emotional TV appearanceMark Allen has now released a new statement following his emotional revelations made during the Northern Ireland Open, a month before the UK Championship startsMirror Sport · 25 Oct, 12:07
• Allen hopeful of being in 'better place' mentally by UK ChampionshipMark Allen says he is hopeful of being in a "better place" mentally by the time the UK Championship begins in late November.Sky Sports · 25 Oct, 09:00

In this story: Mark Allen · UK Championship · Northern Ireland Open · Jordan Brown

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