'Really bad news': Former Portsmouth favourite suffers serious injury set-back amid Bristol City blow
Rob Atkinson amassed 15 appearances for Pompey during the second half of the 2024-25 campaign.
Former Pompey loanee Rob Atkinson looks set to miss the remainder of the Championship campaign due to a serious ankle injury.
After penning a new long-term deal at Ashton Gate last summer, despite strong interest from the Blues, the central defender has amassed 26 outings for Bristol City this term.
This forced Atkinson to sit out the Robins’ 3-0 triumph over his former side at Fratton Park in November, but was fit to feature in their rampant 5-0 display on New Year’s Day.
But it remains to be seen whether the former Oxford United man has played his last minutes of the campaign, after sustaining a serious injury against Blackburn Rovers in midweek.
The ex-Fratton favourite was the recipient of a heavy challenge from Rovers forward Yuki Ohashi in the first half at Ewood Park and was subsequently withdrawn at the break.
Head coach Gerhard Struber was far from impressed with the tackle, with Atkinson’s ankle ligament issue now expected to keep him out of action for 10 weeks.
Former Pompey favourite suffers serious injury blow
That would take the 27-year-old beyond the end of the regular season, but could still return should Bristol City achieve a play-off spot in the final 12 games of the campaign.
The Robins boss told Bristol Live: ‘I would say really bad news. I think Rob will not be available maybe (until) the end of the season.
‘It looks like, at the moment, around 10 weeks, so this is, of course, a really big hit for us, for the team and, of course, also for Rob. We have to deal with that.
‘He's really disappointed that he cannot help the team at the moment. We knew how important he is, with all his strengths, but it is what it is, and we have to do the best now.
‘We will miss him. On the same time, it's a big chance for other players.
‘It's a ligament rupture and in more directions a really bad injury. It makes me a little bit speechless when I think about it, especially about the decision the referee made. It makes me thoughtful.’
Rob Atkinson’s successful Pompey stay
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There were plenty of questions over Atkinson’s Fratton Park arrival in January 2025, with the defender having been sidelined for almost two years with a plethora of injury issues.
However, the loanee impressed during his five-month stay on the south coast and was a classy presence in the backline, despite key injuries to the likes of Hayden Matthews and Conor Shaughnessy.
Despite a calf issue forcing him to miss more than a months worth of action, the centre-back went on to total 15 appearances during a successful stint at PO4.
Although John Mousinho made his intentions clear at landing Atkinson on a permanent basis last summer, the powerful defender opted to remain at Ashton Gate and penned a fresh long-term deal following Struber’s appointment in June.