'I'm doing my best' - Allen thanks fans amid mental health struggles

Mark Allen has told fans that he is "doing his best to turn things around" and that he can "see the light" having spent the last 10 weeks in a mental health clinic, after saying he was in a "bad place" in an interview on Tuesday.

Allen cast doubt on his snooker career following defeat at the Northern Ireland Open, telling TNT Sports he "doesn't see a future with snooker in it" in an emotional interview that sparked a considerable deal on online support for the world No 12.

The Antrim native was playing his first match since his World Championship semi-final loss to Wu Yize in April - when he missed a match-ball black off the spot at 16-15 in front and went on to lose a decider.

• Allen suggests career could be over after NI Open exit

The 40-year-old has since stayed away from the tour due to personal issues that he has kept private, but are understood not to relate to any repercussions from the manner of his defeat at the Crucible.

On Wednesday, Allen released a statement via social media thanking everyone for their messages after his interview the previous day, and reassuring fans that his current mental state is the best it's been in months after receiving care.

"Everything I said in that interview was true," Allen wrote. "However, rest assured I'm doing my best to turn things around," he said.

"I have been in a mental health clinic for the last 10 weeks, finally discharging so I could attempt to play in Belfast.

"I owed that to my family, in particular my daughter to see me play for what could be the last time….. I also owed it to the fans who have supported me throughout my 21 years on tour.

"I'm not okay, but I'm okay in that itself. I've been much worse in the last few months than you saw yesterday. I literally didn't see a future in anything…

'My daughter kept me going, the therapists, staff and all the other patients were amazing and helped me through some really dark days.

"I see the light now that I couldn't see before but I do now. I also know it won't happen overnight. I'm a work in progress!!! My fight and determination on the table has always been there for ones to see. I need to show those same fighting qualities off it now for a while."

Allen has been among the world's top players for a long time, winning both UK and Masters titles in a total of 12 ranking tournament wins, and has reached the world championship semi-finals three times.

He also praised close friend and fellow Antrim native Jordan Brown, to whom he lost on Tuesday, for his conduct during their match, before thanking fans for their continued support in the face of his struggles:

"Please don't detract anything from Jordan yesterday, he's been aware of my struggles and that can't have been easy to play in but he handled it with grace and skill as I knew he would. I'm proud to call him a friend.

"I hope the rest of the event is a success and I will continue my treatments going forward and then see what's ahead.

"Thank you to every single message I have received on here [X], Instagram, Facebook, text messages and WhatsApps, I've seen them all but a bit overwhelmed to reply right now.

"Just know that they have helped me a lot but I'm not going anywhere just yet!!!! I have so much to live for and this is only the beginning of my new journey.

"Also, I was not made to do any interviews [on Tuesday], I was simply given a choice and felt I owed it to everyone to speak. The media team at WST have been incredible through all this too. Thank you all.

What did Allen say in his original interview?

In his original interview with TNT Sports directly after his defeat, Allen said he was "really overwhelmed" after his first match back on the tour in six months.

"I'm in a bad place at the minute, so 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 serious about his threat to retire, Allen confirmed his view and continued: "I've been flooded with support but the problems are within. I just don't see a future with snooker in it, if I'm honest.

"It's sad to say, because it's all I've loved to do since I was 12 but the last few months has been really difficult and it's put snooker into perspective for me. At the minute I'm just trying to survive."

Both World Snooker Tour and the sport's governing body, the WPBSA, have provided support to Allen and have indicated their desire to continue helping him in any way they can.

If you are affected by these issues or want to talk, please contact the Samaritans on the free helpline 116 123, or visit the website www.samaritans.org

(c) Sky Sports 2026: 'I'm doing my best' - Allen thanks fans amid mental health struggles