Mark Allen's a silly little boy, says Barry Hearn

Barry Hearn today dismissed Mark Allen's criticism of the UK Championships new match format.

Allen had questioned the decision to cut the number of frames played at the tournament from 17 to 11 for the first two rounds and suggested the World Snooker chairman should be replaced as the head of the game.

But Hearn, who said yesterday he would be seeking legal advice following Allen's comments, told the BBC today: "I am far too busy to worry about silly little boys making silly little comments. It is a shame [the comments] have overshadowed a first-class tournament. I've been watching it and enjoying it and the crowds are up. People say silly things but I am happy to let the disciplinary committee deal with it."

Allen, 25, faces a charge for swearing during his outburst and World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association chairman Jason Ferguson stressed the hearing was to investigate the player's language rather than his criticism of Hearn.

The Leyton Orient chairman took over 18 months ago after being voted in by the players and has made a number of changes already, including increasing the number of ranking events by two.