Ex-Portsmouth, Bristol Rovers and Charlton man in heart-warming playing return - four years after retiring through injury

Tareiq Holmes-Dennis was never the same player after sustaining a knee injury on his Blues debut in August 2017.

Recruited on a season-long loan from Huddersfield, the highly-regarded left-back slipped on the artificial surface surrounding the Fratton Park pitch in the 39th minute against Rochdale.

The ex-Charlton man would subsequently be diagnosed with a chondral defect and meniscus tear and never played for Pompey again.

In fact, he would subsequently make only 30 more career appearances. Just three years later, following three operations, he hung up his boots in October 2020 at the age of 24.

Now Holmes-Dennis has made a surprise playing comeback in the Combined Counties League Premier Division South.

The 28-year-old last month featured for Corinthian Casuals on two occasions as he eases his way back into football again following retirement.

It began with 25 minutes off the bench in their 4-2 league defeat at Abbey Rangers in front of 102 supporters, then he was handed a start in the first round of the London Senior Cup against Metropolitan Police.

Lining up at left-back, Holmes-Dennis featured for 61 minutes before being replaced with the scoreline at 1-1 - with Met Police going on to claim a 2-1 victory in time added-on.

They appear to be his maiden first-team involvements since starting for Bristol Rovers against Coventry in League One in February 2020.

At the time of Holmes-Dennis’ retirement, he told The News: ‘My knee is in a horrific place.

‘Following the latest scan, I was told that damage to the cartilage was irreparable. Any operation they could offer wasn’t getting me back into professional football.

‘I’ve made some friends for life, I’ve played in games of huge importance, I’ve appeared in two play-off campaigns, won promotion to the Premier League, and my family have watched me perform the sport I love.

‘There are ideas of what I want to do, but I’m going to keep them to myself until I can put them into place.

‘Perhaps I can play semi-pro? Not playing ever again would be impossible for me, I’d love to get to a place where I can train a couple of times a week and then play on the Saturday.

‘Whatever I do next, it will be with as much effort as I put into football. Fulfilment is important to me.’

Holmes-Dennis, who featured in four pre-season Pompey matches in addition to his unfortunate debut, also represented Charlton, Oxford United, Plymouth, Oldham, Huddersfield and Bristol Rovers.