Wyke targets 'one more game' after horror injury

Charlie Wyke's last match for Carlisle was on 26 October 2024

Charlie Wyke has set his sights on playing for Carlisle United again as he battles back from a horrific injury.

Wyke has not played for Carlisle since October 2024 when he suffered a severe leg break in an injury that also dislocated his ankle and damaged ligaments.

A surgeon advised him to retire but the 32-year-old striker did not want to give up on his dream of returning to the pitch.

Now he has begun the long training programme towards a possible first-team return.

"Over the last few weeks, it's just starting to get a bit better, so I'm back on the grass, which is great for me," Wyke told BBC Radio Cumbria. "It's nice to be outside.

"I'm at the point now, or I was a few weeks ago, where if I played one more game, that would be enough.

"There's still a long way to go with the extent of the injury and how bad it was. But I'm a bit more positive than I was last week, so things are looking up."

For many players, overcoming a setback like this would be the hardest of their career.

But for Wyke, this is the second huge challenge he has faced in trying to return to the pitch.

In November 2021, he suffered a cardiac arrest after collapsing in training with Wigan Athletic and it took him nine months to play competitively again.

This time, the absence is already 13 months and has resulted in multiple operations, with wires and pins put in to hold his leg together.

And Wyke revealed the mental challenge that he has endured during such a long time out.

"It's been horrendous," he said. "I've spoken to professionals about it. I've had a lot of help off the pitch, mentally.

"I don't think anyone will ever realise how bad it is until they're in this situation.

"For me, I just want to get back playing football, so I'll do whatever it takes."

Charlie Wyke was with Wigan when he suffered a cardiac arrest in November 2021

'I'm not the sort to give in'

Many others would have thrown the towel in when faced with these obstacles. Wyke was told professionally that retirement was the advisable option.

But the former Sunderland and Bradford City player, who has scored 132 goals in his career, wanted to give himself one last shot.

"I took my family up with me to see the surgeon and the physio was on the Zoom call," he said.

"It actually took me by surprise because he sees these injuries every day. I know it was a horror injury, I didn't really expect him to say that if it was him, he'd retire. That shows how bad it was.

"But I'm not the sort of person to give in. Obviously with the stuff that's happened over the years with the cardiac arrest, I've worked so hard to get back.

"Then this, out for another year, it's been hard, but I'm not ready to give in yet."

Wyke is enjoying watching Carlisle as they sit top of the National League under former Wales, Manchester City, Blackburn and Stoke boss Mark Hughes.

And his goal now is to return at some point to help their promotion cause, if possible.

"That is the plan, to get back for Carlisle," he said.

"The last few games, 10, 20 games. But if someone said to me, you could play the last game of the season, I would do it."