Scott Allan is sure he still has plenty of minutes left in his boots despite struggling to find a club this summer.
The former Hibs, Dundee and Celtic man is a free agent after departing Easter Road upon the conclusion of the 2022/23 campaign. The 30-year-old suffers from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a heart condition that causes fatigue and shortness of breath. And the diagnosis planted seeds of doubt in his mind when it comes to his playing career as well as generating some reluctance from potential new clubs.
Allan took five months out during the 2020/21 campaign, visiting a number of heart specialists in order to figure out the best next steps. The midfielder weighed up his options, toying with retirement before getting back on the pitch for Hibs in 2021. He then joined Inverness on loan for the remainder of the season in a bid to get back to match fitness. But then despite a promising start last campaign, Allan managed just six starts under both Jack Ross and Shaun Maloney and was released at the end of his contract.
However, the midfielder is sure he still has plenty left to give. Writing in his BBC column, Allan said: "I'm the free agent with an asterisk next to his name. I'm 30 years old, 17 games in the Scottish Premiership last season for Hibernian, but for the first time in 14 years, the season kicked off and I don't have a club.
"There's life left in me. I need to be playing. Since being diagnosed with the heart condition a few years ago, it's thrown doubt in there for some of the clubs. I know the way chairmen think. One million per cent it would be an issue for some teams.
"I've worked so hard to get back. This is the first summer in 14 years, since I've been professional, where every day I've managed to disconnect a little bit. Retiring was definitely an option, but I wanted to do everything in my power to continue.
"When teams look at it, you don't have minutes under the belt, combined with the fact you have a heart problem - which is now all fine - they look and go, 'maybe we'll go for someone else'. That's the reality of the game, it doesn't wait for anybody. My next place needs to be right in all aspects. It might not be as glamorous as I want, but to get back playing - that's what I need to do."
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