'Why me again?' - Ex-Wigan Athletic, Sunderland and Bradford City star Charlie Wyke on latest KO at Carlisle United

The recurring thoughts of former Wigan Athletic star Charlie Wyke after the footballing gods again dealt him a knockout blow.

Wyke, 31, had just come on to the field for Carlisle United against Cheltenham Town at the weekend, when he was involved in an horrific collision that ended his season.

Almost three years after almost losing his life on the Latics training ground following a cardiac arrest, it once again left him feeling if fate is trying to tell him something.

"It's a really bad one...I've fractured my fibula, all the ligaments and tendons are ruptured," said Wyke, in an exclusive interview with Wigan Today.

"As soon as it happened, I had shooting pains in my shin where the bone had snapped...I looked down and my ankle was facing the wrong way...it was horrendous, to be honest.

"After everything that's happened over the last few years...I must be the unluckiest person on the planet.

"All I can think of at the moment is: 'Why has this happened to me again...how unlucky can one person be’?"

Having rejoined Carlisle - with whom he really broke onto the scene, almost a decade ago - to kickstart his career after leaving Wigan over the summer, it's a sickening blow to both player and club, who are struggling at the wrong end of League Two.

"I'd just started to feel good about myself again, it was starting to click on the field, and then this happens," he said.

"Having been made captain, I've been trying to rally the troops...with the team struggling as well, they need our help, and I'm not going to be able to give it to them.

"It's part of life, but I'm going to have to be strong, there's nothing else you can do in this situation.

"I know I'm going to have to speak to a few people, because I'm under no illusions as to how tough the next few months are going to be.

"But the people I'm going to be leaning on...my family, it's so hard for them as well to see me like this, lying in bed screaming in pain all the time.

"I'm booked in for the operation on Monday, but it keeps getting delayed because the swelling's so bad."

As fate would have it, the first game Wyke will miss is Saturday's FA Cup first-round tie against Latics at Brunton Park.

"I was buzzing when I saw the draw," he admitted.

"I said in the summer I couldn't wait to get a proper chance to say goodbye to the Wigan fans, which I didn't get at the end of last season.

"This was going to be a 'proper' game as well, and I'm absolutely gutted I'm not going to get that chance again.

"Obviously I've got bigger things going on now, and I won't even be able to get to the game...I'll be in the house for at least the next two or three months."

Having already come back from the brink - literally - Wyke will again be relying on a support network that has shown itself again - especially from the Wigan area.

"I've always said with everything that happened with my heart, I've never been the same person as before," he added.

"I'm either really high or really low, there's not usually anything in between.

"I know I need to stay positive, and I've had some good conversations with the gaffer (Mike Williamson)...to be fair, he came with me to the hospital, and he sat with me for eight hours, which was unbelievable of him.

"Jordan Jones has also been sitting around my house for the last few days, he's obviously one of my best mates, everyone knows his character off the pitch and he's been there for me.

"He only lives 10 minutes away, he drives past on the way to training, so I'll probably end up getting sick of him before too long!

"And I have to say I've had so many messages from the Wigan lads...Jason Kerr, Scott Smith, Harry McHugh, James Carragher, Jonny Smith, Cal Mac, Jimmy Barrow, Jack Winnard...so many others...Callum Lang, Josh Magennis, Stephen Humphrys, Max Power, Tom Naylor, Will Grigg (team-mate from Sunderland)...I could go through them all really.

"We had such a close group at Wigan, and I can't thank the lads enough for sending their messages, they've really kept my spirits up...it really means a lot.

"I suppose when you're not getting messages, that's probably when you know you've not been a good team-mate, but I've been absolutely overwhelmed.

"But probably 80 per cent of all the players I came into contact with at Wigan have been in touch, and I can't tell you how much that's meant to me and my family."

Carlisle boss Williamson has also spoken of his upset at Wyke's plight.

“It’s obviously disappointing news for Charlie and for all of us," he said.

“He’s our captain and he’ll be missed, but we know how tough he is and we’re all right behind him.

“He’s got the complete support of everyone at the football club, and we’ll help him through this in whatever way we can.”

Wyke has made 14 appearances for the Cumbrians this term, scoring two goals.

Latics fans are also likely to be denied a reunion with fellow old-boy Jones this weekend.

The Northern Ireland winger followed Wyke to Carlisle just before the transfer deadline, but has been sidelined since the beginning of October with a calf problem, and it would be a huge surprise to see him feature.