SEAN McALLISTER has lifted the lid on the injury that cost him over a year of his career and saw him drop out of the Football League.

McAllister swapped Scunthorpe United for League Two new boys Grimsby in the summer of 2016, but played just six matches due to injury.

Originally diagnosed with a groin problem, McAllister went through months and months of treatment - and came close to hanging his boots up - only to discover that the issue was ankle related.

The 31-year-old, who joined Chester to ease their injury crisis, explained: "I know I'm still capable of playing in the Football League but with the injuries I've had the last time I played regular football was in League One and when I went to Grimsby I got an ankle injury which lasted 15 months through a misdiagnoses.

"It was one injury and I wasn't treated properly and as soon as I got the right treatment I haven't had the problem since.

"It was so frustrating as I knew I could have been out for just two weeks and it ended up being 15 months and I didn't know what the hell was was wrong with me. It was that bad I was thinking about retiring."

With his injury nightmare now behind him, McAllister, who made his debut for the Blues in the 1-1 draw against Guiseley before following that up with 90 minutes in the 1-0 defeat to Curzon Ashton, is looking to kick-on.

"I need to start getting the games in and show what I can do," he continued. "There's the potential here to achieve something and that's what I'm looking at doing.

"Hopefully come the end of the season I could have another promotion under my belt."

Having battled through his injury woes, McAllister can also look back on his career with pride. As a schoolboy the Bolton-born midfielder spent three years at Manchester United, before eventually making his debut in the Championship for Sheffield Wednesday.

McAllister, who has played around 200 games in the Football League, reflected: "Looking back now I can see how the level of coaching I had gave me the base for my career.

"Danny Simpson and Richie Jones were both in my age group and Nicky Adams at Bury and they made it through, but when I look back on my whole career and see the amount of players I've come across who've fallen out of the game it shows you how tough it is."