Danny Cowley gets encouraging injury news over sidelined Portsmouth skipper Clark Robertson

It means the Blues skipper’s return is expected to be sped up ahead of an anticipated comeback ahead of Christmas.

Robertson has been sidelined since mid-September after damaging a tendon in his quad.

The Scot had to undergo an operation to reattach a muscle which had come away from the tendon.

According to Danny Cowley, surgeons were able to reattach the muscle, rather than pinning it, representing a more straightforward procedure.

And that has offered encouragement to Pompey’s head coach, having already been without his summer signing for five matches.

He told The News: ‘Clark is in the early stages of his rehab at the moment.

‘We are working towards the eight-week mark (after the operation) where he can really start to accelerate things, as long as the scan comes back well and everything is where it should be.

‘It’s very early to set comeback dates considering the nature of the operation.

‘However, he’s had the muscle stitched back onto the tendon, which is a positive actually because normally they pin it. They didn’t feel it was necessary, so stitched it back.

‘So the process has been less intensive – stitching it rather than pinning it – and that was a real positive. It means we are able to accelerate the process.

‘I still think Clark will be back before Christmas.

‘You are always going to miss key players and he’d had an outstanding start to the season. There were some good performances and he was right up there in terms of his consistency and his levels.

‘It’s also what he gives us, not only defensively but also on the ball. We have missed him, for sure.’

Robertson has made seven appearances so far this season following his summer arrival on a free transfer from Rotherham.

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