Portsmouth's Luke Brooke-Smith Faces Long Recovery After Ankle Injury

Portsmouth teenager Luke Brooke-Smith faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a serious ankle injury in training that could rule him out for the rest of the season.

The 18-year-old winger, who arrived at Fratton Park in the summer from Wellington Phoenix on a permanent deal, dislocated his ankle in what boss John Mousinho described as a “really unfortunate” incident at the training ground.

“He’s suffered a severe ankle dislocation,” Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent. “Off the back of that, there is a fracture on his fibula and significant ligament damage. It was dealt with really well by everyone at the training ground and he was taken to QA [Queen Alexandra Hospital] before being discharged.

“We’re going to leave it to settle for a couple of days, but he will go in for surgery after that.”

Medical staff acted quickly on site before Brooke-Smith was taken to hospital, assessed and then allowed home to begin the first steps of what is likely to be a long recovery.

A summer arrival with promise and pace, Brooke-Smith had featured four times for Pompey so far this campaign. He earned one Championship start, with his other appearances coming from the bench as he tried to carve out a role in Mousinho’s side.

The setback has hit the youngster hard. Posting on Instagram, Brooke-Smith laid bare the shock of the moment and the uncertainty that now follows.

“No words with how I’m feeling right now,” he wrote. “A freak incident in training causing me to dislocate my ankle, break fibula and potential ligament damage.

“As I don’t know the severity yet I’m trying my best to stay positive in a really hard time for me. I will work my hardest to get back out on the pitch to play for this amazing club.

“Thank you to all the staff and players for getting around me.”

Portsmouth must now plan without one of their brightest prospects, while Brooke-Smith’s focus turns from breaking into the first team to winning a different kind of battle: the long, lonely fight back to full fitness.