Bleak Fratton future for 'dynamite' Portsmouth favourite condemned to unfortunate first-team exile

The popular 26-year-old was fit, available and in training according to John Mousinho during the build-up to the last league fixture against Sunderland.

However, we now won’t see the popular midfielder in action until January, perhaps never again for Pompey considering his contract is scheduled to expire next summer.

Having been left out of Mousinho’s 25-man Football League list, along with Ben Stevenson and the unavailable Colby Bishop, this stint on the sidelines could well be permanent for the Blues.

Granted, there may be behind-closed-doors friendlies or outings in the Hampshire Senior Cup, but no longer in competitive first-team action, at least not for now.

Lowery remains highly-regarded at Fratton Park and, in days of very few player songs emanating from the faithful, his is highly-distinctive and original, reflecting supporters’ affection.

To occupy such a place in the hearts of the Fratton faithful after 31 games in more than two years is testament to the midfielder’s ability and calibre of performances when available.

However, the former Crewe man has become a victim of circumstance, finding himself cut adrift following a summer transfer window which brought 15 new faces to the south coast.

He may have been a League One title winner, featuring nine times during a memorable season, but the necessity to evolve and strengthen ensures he is nowadays out of the frame - this time based on selection rather than injury issues.

These days Andre Dozzell, Freddie Potts, Abdoulaye Kamara, Terry Devlin and Owen Moxon are ahead of him and Stevenson to partner Marlon Pack in the centre of midfield.

Not that Mousinho doesn’t rate Lowery, these are not reminiscent of the final days of Jay Mingi, the cold truth is the Blues can no longer rely on him to be available when required.

After all, when fit, Lowery started the opening match of last season against Bristol Rovers, only to suffer knee ligament damage for five months.

He returned in time to help reinvigorate the promotion push after a dreadful festive period, being thrust into the starting XI at Fleetwood in the Leyton Orient debacle, only to suffer a hamstring injury six games later, missing the next two-and-a-half months.

Indeed, that injury collected at home to Cambridge United is still regretted by Mousinho, as he admitted just a fortnight ago, before the 25-man squad was finalised.

‘We were careful with Tom last year, it’s an easy one to say I regret. We did everything we possibly could to make sure that he felt as good as he could,’ he told The News last month.

‘We made the decision for Cambridge based on the fact Tom was playing great, physically hitting every marker, every indicator was he was fit and fine to play against Cambridge and we made the decision because we needed to win the game.

‘We needed to win the game to get promoted - and we wanted to have our best players on the pitch at that time. Tom was exactly that.

‘Unfortunately he broke down and, with hindsight, I would not have done that, but the decision at the time was made with the right set of information.’

The Blues were open to offloading Lowery in the final moments of the summer transfer window, yet he remained, despite having been made aware of the impact to first-team chances.

Whereas once viewed as somebody to reinforce a promotion bid for the Championship, the harsh reality is he’s effectively surplus to requirements now Pompey have arrived there.