Portsmouth's Luke Brooke-Smith Faces Surgery After Ankle Injury

Portsmouth’s bright young winger Luke Brooke-Smith is facing 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, who only arrived at Fratton Park in the summer from Wellington Phoenix, dislocated his ankle in what boss John Mousinho described as a “really unfortunate” incident on the training ground.

Speaking to BBC Radio Solent, Mousinho laid bare the extent of the damage.

“He’s suffered a severe ankle dislocation,” the Pompey head coach said. “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.”

For a player still feeling his way into English football, the timing is brutal. Brooke-Smith has made four appearances for Pompey this season, including one start in the Championship, with his other outings coming from the bench. He had been edging his way into Mousinho’s plans, offering energy and direct running on the flank.

Now his season is in serious doubt.

The winger addressed the setback on his Instagram page, laying bare the emotional toll as well as the physical damage.

“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.”

For Portsmouth, it is a harsh interruption to the development of a player they moved decisively to sign on a permanent deal from New Zealand over the summer. For Brooke-Smith, it turns what should have been a breakthrough campaign into a test of resolve and patience.

The surgery will come soon. The recovery will take far longer. How quickly the teenager can fight his way back will say plenty about the character behind the talent.