Halifax Town left in the lurch as Jamie Allen WALKS OUT to become a contestant on Love Island

Halifax Town have revealed that forward Jamie Allen has left their pre-season camp to star on ITV reality show Love Island.

The National League side confirmed the news in a post on their Twitter account, in which they revealed ‘the matter will be reviewed on his return’.

It means Allen will now miss a portion of the club’s pre-season so he can star on the show where contestants must couple up with one another, to avoid being dumped from the show which takes place at a villa in Spain.

The club said in their statement: ‘Jamie Allen has decided to join the cast of Love Island 2022, making his intentions clear that the opportunity is very important to him.

‘The matter will be reviewed on his return.’

His decision to join the show comes just six weeks after he signed a new contract with the club, who he has now left in the lurch, with the new season getting underway in just 17 days time.

Halifax Town forward Jamie Allen has left their pre-season camp to go on Love Island

Love Island is set to run up until August 1, meaning Allen could return to training before Halifax kick-off their season away at Barnet five days later. 

The show’s official account also revealed on their Twitter page that Allen would be one of four contestants to enter the villa.

Allen began his career at Fleetwood Town in 2012, where he had loan spells at Barrow and AFC Fylde.

Halifax said they would review Allen’s decision to go on the show when he gets back

He joined Staylbridge Celtic in 2015, before moving to Southport and then Dover Athletic in 2017.

Allen joined Halifax Town in July 2019 after his contract at Dover ended by mutual consent. 

Last season, he made 20 appearances and scored three goals as Halifax finished in the play-off positions – only to lose to Chesterfield in the quarter-finals.

He is not the only person from a sporting background to take part in the show this year.

Rugby league side Castleford Tigers confirmed last month that Jacques O’Neill had been released from his contract ‘to allow him to pursue another opportunity’ ahead of his involvement in Love Island. 

Jacques O’Neill left Castleford Tigers to go on Love Island – though he decided to quit the show

Michael Owen’s daughter Gemma is one of the favourites to win this season’s show

The Tigers though do hold the first option to re-sign O’Neill, who decided to quit Love Island mid-way through the show earlier this month, if he wishes to return to rugby.

Allen is also not the first footballer to appear on the popular show. 

Dennon Lewis, who appeared in the fifth season of the show, began his career at Watford and signed for National League side Boreham Wood in 2021.

Aaron Simpson starred in the seventh series after helping Sutton United seal promotion to League Two in the 2020-21 campaign.

Gemma Owen, daughter of former England and Liverpool striker Michael, is among the participants in this year’s show and is one of the favourites to win the series.