Jamie Allen, like the rest of his Coventry City teammates, felt the fallout in the summer after coming so near but now being so far away from promotion to the Premier League. The days following the exhausting play-off final at Wembley Stadium were a time for most, fans included, to reflect on what might have been after the club’s destiny was ruthlessly decided in a penalty shootout.
The focus then shifted to the summer. It’s time for a well-deserved break, with plans for a personal challenge to conquer the heights of Britain’s highest mountain and the anticipation of becoming a father for the first time in the following weeks. His preparations, however, were thrown into disarray when he began to have chest problems, which is the last thing a supremely fit professional footballer would expect to experience.
“It probably started midway through the summer, not long after the playoffs,” the Sky Blues midfielder said of his ordeal, which he is trying to downplay. “I started feeling strange in myself, and then one day I just got some chest pains.” Over the next few days, I basically went to the doctor and had it looked at, and then I was admitted to the hospital for around four days.”
“It probably started midway through the summer, not long after the playoffs,” the Sky Blues midfielder said of his ordeal, which he is trying to downplay. “I started feeling strange in myself, and then one day I just got some chest pains.” Over the next few days, I basically went to the doctor and had it looked at, and then I was admitted to the hospital for around four days.”
“It was, yeah,” answered the normally shy character, eager to put the entire incident behind him.
When asked if he was concerned about the impact on his career, he stated, “To be fair, I didn’t really think about football in that instance.” It was a bit of a surprise to myself and my family at the time. So we just focused on it and got everything worked out in the end, so it was all okay.
“It’s just one of those things that you obviously need time to recover from, and fortunately it wasn’t anything too serious, I can say that.” But it just took time for me to recuperate, and I needed complete relaxation.”
Jamie’s emphasis rapidly shifted to his partner and the impending arrival of their baby when the doctors figured out his cardiac ailment. Days after leaving the cardiac unit, he was again in the hospital, this time in maternity, where little Louie arrived to offer a joyous finale to an emotional and frightening time.
Although the kid was born so close to his illness, the timing couldn’t have been better, and a bouncing baby boy proved to be the perfect pick-me-up as he began his long road to recovery.
“He’s definitely kept me in high spirits,” said Allen, whose pre-season was wiped out by severe rest and recuperation, followed by a tight rehabilitation regimen that included frequent cardio tests as he began to rebuild his fitness levels.
