Wycombe’s Brandon Hanlan Expresses Relief Following Return from ACL Injury

Wycombe Wanderers forward Brandon Hanlan, who transferred from Bristol Rovers in the summer of 2021, has expressed optimism that his injury issues are now resolved following his return to play in the club’s FA Cup victory against York City. The 27-year-old sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during a 1-0 home loss to Stevenage in November 2023. However, he re-entered play for the concluding 15 minutes of the first-round match against National League side York, a game the Chairboys secured with a 3-2 scoreline. Speaking to BBC Three Counties Radio, Hanlan stated, “I’ve been waiting for a long time and it was nice to get back out there and kind of get that feeling back. It’s been a long one. There’s been ups and downs but it’s one of those ones where you have to see it through all the way to the end.” He further acknowledged the support received, adding, “The physios saw me from the start to the end. It’s nice to have someone there that knows where your knee was and where it’s at now and help you along with the whole rehab side.” Notwithstanding the severity of his injury, Hanlan agreed to a contract extension proposed by the club in December 2023. His comeback coincides with Wycombe’s strong performance under manager Matt Bloomfield, as the team remains undefeated in 10 league matches and has secured victories in their last four games across all competitions. He further commented, “The plan with injuries like this is to come back stronger and hopefully not lose anything you had before. I just want [to play] as many minutes as I can and get back to where I was before. The squad’s very strong and hopefully we can keep this up for the whole season.” Wycombe is now scheduled for consecutive away fixtures in League One, traveling to the north west to play Stockport County on Tuesday evening, followed by a match against Wigan Athletic on Saturday.