A GoFundMe page has been set up to help a former Wycombe Wanderers midfielder who has suffered a potentially career-ending injury.

Jacob Gardiner-Smith, who spent the 2019/20 season with the Chairboys but only played three times for the club, now represents Non League Sholing in the South League Premier Division.

He featured 13 times for the Boatmen this season, starting on 11 occasions.

However, the one-time Wanderer is expected to miss a significant period after suffering his second ACL injury of his career at the age of just 27.

He was hurt in the first-half of Sholing’s recent 5-1 loss against Dorchester Town this month.

A GoFundMe page has now been launched to help the ex-Chairboy who has admitted that his long-term injury will prevent him from working ‘in any capacity’.

A goal of £10,000 has been set and at the time of writing, £1,885 has been raised.

The money donated will cover his bills, rehabilitation costs and consultation fees.

The fundraising page reads: “Heartbroken doesn’t describe it.

“Having been out injured for 18 months the first time just as my career was taking off as a young professional at Wycombe Wanderers, I was told I’d never play again.

“I fought through that to get my career back on track only for this to happen again which has been very tough to deal with.

“My surgery is going to cost upwards of £10,000 as well as rehab costs, consultation fees and bills.

“Football was providing my income as well as my coaching business and after suffering this injury, I am unable to work in any capacity.

“Waiting for the NHS would essentially be the end of my career and would also mean I couldn’t work for over a year too.

“Any donations would be sincerely appreciated.”

To donate to the page, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/jacob-gardinersmith-sholing-fc-acl-surgery.

Gardiner-Smith joined Wycombe after impressing Gareth Ainsworth on trial in the summer of 2019, having spent the previous season at St Albans City.

Prior to turning professional, he spent three seasons in Russia. 

First with the CSKA Moscow youth team, before joining the Zenit Saint Petersburg Academy.

His time at Adams Park was short-lived, as he only featured three times for the Chairboys and those appearances all came in the EFL Trophy.

He was eventually loaned out to Braintree Road, playing 13 times.

The midfielder was then released at the end of that season but was part of the squad that achieved promotion to the Championship.

A respectable career in the Non League soon followed with spells at Hemel Hempstead Town, Cheshnut, Kings Langley, Hanwell Town, Beaconsfield Town, Hungerford Town and now Sholing.

However, after leaving Wanderers, he would spend 18 months out of the game after suffering the first ACL injury of his career.

He has also sustained a fractured knee, a meniscus tear and problems with his LCL and MCL before his most recent setback.