When I first got diagnosed, I was in the youth team at Dundee United and I remember thinking, ‘is football going to be over for me now?’. But I remember speaking to a doctor who said, ‘no, you can still do whatever you want to do, you’ve just got to manage it better’, Allan said.
It’s not been without its challenges, especially at the beginning. I remember playing in a game for Dundee United and my blood sugars just plummeted. I remember the physio saying, ‘you’re going to have to come off, you’re not looking too good’. And I was like, ‘no, I’m fine, I’m fine’, but I didn’t really know what was going on.
But I was fortunate enough to have a really good medical team at Dundee United who helped me manage it and I’ve been lucky enough to play at the highest level in Scotland for a long time now.
Both players hope their story can inspire others living with diabetes to pursue their dreams, whether it be in football or any other field.
There’s no reason why you can’t do it. It’s a little bit harder and you’ve got to manage it a little bit better, but it’s not going to stop you, Anderson said.
Allan added: It’s just about managing it and not letting it hold you back. You can still achieve anything you want to achieve.