Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley provides fresh update on forgotten man and former Sunderland full-back Denver Hume's fitness battle

The Pompey boss has revealed he is continuing to take a patient approach with the 24-year-old, who hasn’t featured in the league since mid-March because of injury.

But when back fully fit, Cowley said the onus will be on the former Sunderland man to force his way into his first-team plans again.

Hume has been largely unavailable for selection for the past six months following a prolapsed disc in his back and a subsequent related calf injury.

He played 45 minutes in Pompey’s recent trip to Crawley in the Papa John’s Trophy

But he hasn’t been named in a match-day squad since that August 30 fixture, meaning he’s featured just 10 times since his reported £200,000 move from the Black Cats during the January transfer window

The form of regular left-back Connor Ogilvie and centre-back Clark Robertson, when he’s been asked to stand in at full-back, has allowed Cowley to be patient with Hume’s recovery.

Pompey’s overall performances on the pitch also accommodate that calm approach, with the Blues currently second in the League One table.

However, Cowley wants the Sunderland Academy product to be forcing his way into his plans when fully fit – although didn’t say when that would be!

‘For Denver, it’s just about him trying to build his fitness,’ said Cowley.

‘The team has obviously functioned well (in his absence) – Connor Ogilvie has been playing very well at left-back and so has Clark Robertson.

‘We’ve got good options there and when a team is doing well it doesn’t make any sense to risk players or rush players back.

‘You can be more patient with them.

‘He’s back training and he’s been able to put regular sessions together, which has been really good.

‘We had a (behind-closed-doors) game on Friday, which he played in.

‘He was 45 minutes fit at Crawley and is probably somewhere around 75 minutes fit now and certainly played Friday with the view of trying to perform well and then forcing his way into the team.’