Portsmouth rule out Reeco Hackett-Fairchild recall after Ellis Harrison setback

Hackett-Fairchild has spent the past month on loan with former club Bromley in a bid for regular football.

However, the left-sided attacker has yet to feature, having been laid low by a groin injury.

Jackett insists the January recruit is still part of his plans, with Hackett-Fairchild to be registered in Pompey’s first-team squad, which must tomorrow be lodged with the Football League.

In addition, the 22-year-old is now eligible to be recalled, after being at Bromley for more than 28 days.

But, despite Harrison potentially out for up to three weeks, the Blues will be letting Hackett-Fairchild remain with the National League club.

Jackett told The News: ‘Reeco is injured at the moment.

‘We can call him back, it has been 28 days, but he hasn’t played a game yet, they've had quite a number of games called off.

‘They’ve only played three times and other teams in the league are on five. There was also a match called off against Altrincham last weekend.

‘Reeco will be fit by next week and playing, which is where we want him to get to. We want him to play matches.

‘We are certainly not going to call him back before he’s played some games.

‘At the moment we are okay. We also have some other people dotted around on loan and will see and assess it this week.’

In Harrison’s absence, which is likely to last between 2-3 months, other striking options available to Pompey include Alfie Stanley.

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The promising forward is presently on loan at Bognor and came off the bench for the final 17 minutes of Saturday’s 4-0 win over East Thurrock United.

Meanwhile, the Blues will tomorrow submit the make-up of their permitted 22-man squad.

All senior players apart from third-choice keeper Duncan Turnbull will be included, leaving them with one space spare.

Jackett added: ‘Naming the squad is quite straightforward to us.

‘We have spoken about it a lot, publicly and openly, so everyone can see where we are with our squad.

‘We’ll see about Turnbull, we have to make sure that with the loan situation he is still flexible.

‘The likelihood we will put in two goalkeepers.’

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