Mark Allen has opened up on his mental health struggles

Comments made by Ronnie O'Sullivan highlighted the mental health battle many snooker players are facing.

'The Rocket' previously spoke about how himself and a number of big names within snooker had struggled mentally, calling for World Snooker to employ someone players could talk to if they were struggling. O'Sullivan's comments have been highlighted again in recent days following Mark Allen's emotional TV interview and his heartfelt statement that followed it.

"I think World Snooker should have someone like in football. In football they may have a masseuse sorting out injuries. In snooker, they should have someone at the tournament employed if someone is struggling," O'Sullivan said during Eurosport's coverage of the Masters in January 2025.

"For 10 minutes, if you need to come off the table and talk – I’m not saying everyone will go in there because a lot of players suffer in silence. I can tell. You just look at them and know they’re struggling.

"But they should have someone to go to and talk to. I think that’s so important.

"You have coaches sorting your cue action out, but really you need someone to just [help] unload a bit. I think it would really help the players.

"I know Shaun Murphy is part of the panel. I think they could find the money to employ someone full-time to be there for the players.

"If Mark Selby is struggling mentally, and I struggle mentally and John Higgins struggles mentally, then the other 124 are a million per cent struggling mentally. But you’re not allowed to.

"People say, ‘what’s the matter, you’re a snooker player, you’re getting paid this and that’. But it’s not about the money. It’s about pride in performance. You want to put a show on for the crowd. You want to put a show on for yourself. You want to play well and when you don’t, it can drive you crazy."

Allen opened up on his mental health battle in a statement, which he posted on Wednesday morning, following his exit from the Northern Ireland Open on Tuesday.

He wrote: "A statement on yesterday…..

"Everything I said in that interview was true. However, rest assured I’m doing my best to turn things round.

"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 also owed that to World Snooker who have been amazing from day on in all this, in particular Simon Brownell and Neil Tomkins who have remained in touch regularly, even Simon paying me a visit in the clinic itself.

"I’m not ok, but I’m ok 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.

"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. Im 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, instagram, Facebook, text messages and WhatsApp’s, 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, 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 x."

Allen lost 4-2 to close friend and fellow Antrim man Jordan Brown in what was his first match since his devastating World Championship semi-final defeat to Wu Yize six months ago in which he missed a routine black which would have seen him through to the final at the Crucible.