Luckless Portsmouth winger and West Ham product continues to get backing of manager following just 18 appearances in 19 months

That’s despite the Pompey forward not featuring for the League Two outfit since early November because of injury, and with just nine U’s appearances to his name to date.

Scully, whose short stint at Pompey was hampered by injury, is back under Cowley’s wing having initially returned to Fratton Park to undergo surgery on a troublesome ankle that needed metalwork removed following a previous procedure.

Early March has been pencilled in for the winger to make his Colchester comeback, with the 12th-placed U’s still having an outside chance of making the play-offs.

Cowley is desperate to utilise Scully’s attacking prowess for their season run-in, having worked with the 25-year-old previously at Lincoln. And he firmly believes, if the player can kick-start his season, then it’s a win-win situation for all concerned - with the former West Ham youngster’s Fratton Park contract up at the end of the season.

The U’s boss told the Daily Gazette: ‘I think it’s quite a unique situation with Anthony. He’s obviously a boy that we know well.

‘Anthony is a top, top player and that form at Lincoln got him the moves that he subsequently had to Wigan and then Portsmouth.

‘We’re thankful to Portsmouth - the way that the deal is structured means that we’re going to have to start to pay a contribution on his wage, if he’s back playing.

‘We know that if we can get him going, when he’s out of contract in the summer we’ll be in a really strong position to hopefully have him stay with us, so it’s a no brainer.’

Scully’s unfortunate injury record

Scully endured a wretched maiden Fratton Park season in 2023-24, featuring just nine times for John Mousinho’s League One title winners.

Signed in June 2023 for an undisclosed fee from Wigan, the forward underwent a knee operation in the August of that year, which kept him out of the side for four months.

On his return, Scully struggled to break his way back into John Mousinho’s squad, before finding himself back on the sidelines with an ankle injury last March.

He was then deemed surplus to requirements as Pompey made their preparations for their Championship return and subsequently loaned out to Colchester on the final day of the summer transfer window.

Providing some welcome support, Cowley added: ‘He’s had a frustrating time with injuries for sure but we think that we’ve got to the bottom of it.

‘He’s obviously had a nasty ankle break but the metal plate has now been taken out and the ankle is now moving so much better.

‘His ankle didn’t have much range in it at all and as a consequence, it put a lot of stress through the knee and through the hip but he’s now back on the grass and running.’

Colchester are next in action on Saturday, when they play host to the MK Dons.

For your next Pompey read: How a remarkable 28-year-old has persuaded Portsmouth to re-evaluate their player contract strategy