He's back: After 5 league starts in 3 years, finally there's hope for luckless ex-Portsmouth man

Luckless Brandon Haunstrup has been dogged by constant injury issues since February 2022, severely impacting a once highly-promising career.

Now on the books of Gateshead, he made his latest playing comeback in Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Barnet in the National League.

Appearing as a substitute in the 76th minute, it represented a welcome first league outing since November for the 28-year-old, following yet another frustrating spell on the sidelines.

Overall, the Pompey Academy graduate has started just five league games in more than three years after being blighted by injury problems at Kilmarnock, Cambridge United and Gateshead during that period.

However, irrespective of the result, Saturday’s involvement offers huge encouragement to the lad from Waterlooville after a torrid time.

And he will now be hoping to play a role in the Heed Army’s push for the National League play-offs, currently sitting in the final spot of seventh.

Turned down Pompey deal

It was back in July 2020 when Haunstrup turned down a new Pompey deal in search of first-team opportunities, having served as back-up behind Enda Stevens, Dion Donohue and Lee Brown.

After making his Blues debut aged 18 in Paul Cook’s second match in charge - against Derby in the Carling Cup in August 2015 - the former Crookhorn School pupil was a regular around the first-team squad.

By the time of his departure for Kilmarnock on a free transfer five seasons later, he had totalled 57 appearances and one goal for his home-town club.

Haunstrup suffered relegation from the Scottish Premiership in his first campaign, but helped Killie to bounce back by winning the Scottish Championship in 2021-22, although wasn’t involved in the final three months.

In July 2022, he moved to Cambridge on a free transfer, yet featured just 15 times in two years at the Abbey Stadium, largely through injury.

His sole league start for the U’s ironically came at Fratton Park, with a 4-1 defeat in August 2022 which saw him substituted after 67 minutes.

Following his release last summer, he trialled at Yeovil, before being snapped up by Gateshead, where he had previously featured during an injury-affected loan spell.

However, Haunstrup has subsequently endured yet another frustrating season, with Saturday’s appearance representing only his seventh of 2024-25.

Yet the defender will now be banking on finally being free of those injury issues and getting regular first-team football under his belt for the first time since the opening half of the 2021-22 campaign.

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