Portsmouth Winger Luke Brooke-Smith Faces Season-Ending Injury

Portsmouth winger Luke Brooke-Smith is facing the prospect of missing the rest of the season after suffering a serious ankle injury in training.

The 18-year-old, who arrived at Fratton Park in the summer from Wellington Phoenix on a permanent deal, sustained a severe ankle dislocation during a session this week.

Pompey head coach John Mousinho confirmed the extent of the damage, describing it as a brutal blow for the youngster.

"It's a really unfortunate one, 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."

For a player just beginning to make his way in English football, the timing could hardly be worse. Brooke-Smith has made four appearances for Portsmouth so far this campaign, starting once in the Championship and coming off the bench in his other outings as he tried to force his way into regular contention.

The setback hit him hard. His own words underlined that.

"No words with how I'm feeling right now," he wrote on Instagram. "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 will now plan for the run-in without one of their brightest prospects, while Brooke-Smith’s season pivots from breakthrough ambitions to a long, demanding road back to the Championship stage.