Charlie Wyke: Carlisle United striker opens up on 13 months out after leg break

Charlie Wyke has set his sights on playing for Carlisle United again as he battles back from a horrific injury.

Wyke has not played for Carlisle since October 2024 when he suffered a severe leg break in an injury that also dislocated his ankle and damaged ligaments.

A surgeon advised him to retire but the 32-year-old striker did not want to give up on his dream of returning to the pitch.

Now he has begun the long training programme towards a possible first-team return.

"Over the last few weeks, it's just starting to get a bit better, so I'm back on the grass, which is great for me," Wyke told BBC Radio Cumbria. "It's nice to be outside.

"I'm at the point now, or I was a few weeks ago, where if I played one more game, that would be enough.

"There's still a long way to go with the extent of the injury and how bad it was. But I'm a bit more positive than I was last week, so things are looking up."

For many players, overcoming a setback like this would be the hardest of their career.

But for Wyke, this is the second huge challenge he has faced in trying to return to the pitch.

In November 2021, he suffered a cardiac arrest after collapsing in training with Wigan Athletic and it took him nine months to play competitively again.

This time, the absence is already 13 months and has resulted in multiple operations, with wires and pins put in to hold his leg together.

And Wyke revealed the mental challenge that he has endured during such a long time out.

"It's been horrendous," he said. "I've spoken to professionals about it. I've had a lot of help off the pitch, mentally.

"I don't think anyone will ever realise how bad it is until they're in this situation.

"For me, I just want to get back playing football, so I'll do whatever it takes."

Wyke is enjoying watching Carlisle as they sit top of the National League under former Wales, Manchester City, Blackburn and Stoke boss Mark Hughes.

And his goal now is to return at some point to help their promotion cause, if possible.

"That is the plan, to get back for Carlisle," he said.

"The last few games, 10, 20 games. But if someone said to me, you could play the last game of the season, I would do it."

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