Last updated on .From the section Snooker

John Higgins has hinted he is close to retirement after a second-round UK Championship exit

Betway UK Championship Venue: York Barbican Dates: 27 November-9 December Coverage: Watch live across BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, BBC Red Button, Connected TV, the BBC Sport website and mobile app from 1 December.

John Higgins feels "near the end" of his snooker career after his "garbage" form continued with a second-round exit at the UK Championship on Saturday.

Higgins, 43, said the fact he "couldn't care less" about his 6-5 loss to fellow Scot Alan McManus was "a big worry".

A four-time world champion, Higgins reached the 2018 world final but believes that may have "papered over cracks" as he struggles for motivation.

"I really do feel I'm near the end of my time with this game," he said.

"I will have a good think at the end of this season because I'm not going to put myself through this. The way I'm feeling, not putting in any effort into the game, and you know you're not going to get anywhere doing that, so it's going to be a big six months."

Higgins trailed McManus 3-1 before fighting back to lead 5-3. But he could not make a single break over 50 and shipped three frames in succession to lose.

The three-time UK champion said this was the lowest he had felt "ever" in a 26-year professional career.

"When you watch guys like Neil Robertson on the next table knocking in centuries and I'm fudging about doing 30s... I'm just garbage - garbage," he added.