Hughes happy to have Wyke after 'long trek' back

Carlisle United head coach Mark Hughes says it is great to have Charlie Wyke available again as the striker returned to first-team action.

Wyke came on in injury time of Carlisle's 3-1 win over Altrincham to mark his first appearance since 26 October 2024, an absence of 462 days.

The striker suffered a horrific broken leg and ankle but battled his way back to take the pitch to great applause from the Brunton Park crowd.

"It was a great moment," Hughes told BBC Radio Cumbria.

"Everyone's got a lot of time for Charlie. He's a great guy who's been through a lot since he's come here."

Hughes added: "It's been a long trek back to be able to get some match fitness, but he's worked exceptionally hard to be in a position now where he can get game time."

Wyke had admitted that rehabilitation was a long process and left him hoping that he would come back, even if just for one more match.

It is the second major absence he has had to contend with during his career after he suffered a cardiac arrest in training at Wigan Athletic in November 2021.

But after having a defibrillator implanted in his body, he fought back from that to return to the field nine months later.

Now he has returned and Hughes believes he is lucky to have him around as Carlisle chase promotion back to League Two.

He added: "Charlie's not at the point where he can start games, but if we've got the option to bring him on late in games between now and the end of the season, that's going to be a huge benefit for us."