Portsmouth's triple injury boost as long-term casualties lined-up for pre-season return

Although Regan Poole’s involvement will initially be restricted as he continues his comeback from knee ligament damage.

Tom McIntyre, Anthony Scully and Poole are all expected to be back at the Blues’ training ground on Thursday for the summer return.

John Mousinho’s men are scheduled to undergo a series of tests for two days, before training resumes on Monday morning.

Among their number will be three players who didn’t feature in the final 15 matches of Pompey’s League One title triumph through injury.

Poole tore the ACL in his knee during the early stages of Pompey’s FA Cup clash at Chesterfield in November, ruling him out for the remainder of the campaign.

The timing was particularly brutal for the talented defender, who had enjoyed an outstanding start to his time at Fratton Park, in addition to breaking into Wales’ international team.

Traditionally it’s an injury which sidelines a player for a total of nine months, ensuring that Poole, realistically, will not feature for the majority of their pre-season friendlies at least.

Nonetheless, his rehabilitation is inevitably further advanced than when the season ended and he will be involved in training, as well as accompanying the team on their Croatia trip.

McIntyre broke his left ankle just 54 minutes into an eventful debut against Northampton in February.

The central defender was actually sent off for the challenge with Mitch Pinnock, only for the red card to be rescinded upon appeal.

The former Reading man is now over his injury and will be fully involved in Pompey’s pre-season, providing there is no unforeseen reaction.

As for Scully, his last first-team involvement was as an unused substitute at Port Vale at the end of January.

Although subsequently falling out of favour, it was an ankle injury which primarily ruled him out of the title run-in, capping an immensely frustrating campaign consisting of just nine outings.

The former West Ham man, however, is now over that issue according to Mousinho and will be present for the first day of pre-season training, hoping to take advantage of a fresh start.

As for Pompey’s two out-of-contract players they are open to keeping - Joe Morrell and Zak Swanson - it remains to be seen whether either will be present on Thursday or Monday.

Morrell is still sidelined by the knee injury sustained at Oxford United in January and has been continuing his rehabilitation at the training ground over the summer.

Swanson is now apparently fit following his latest groin issue, yet remains in negotiations over the possibility of a fresh deal.

Whether he will still train with Pompey in the meantime - or prefer to trial with another club - remains to be seen.