'The weekend where everything changed'

Colby Bishop scored with a late penalty for Portsmouth against Preston

Joy has been in short supply at Fratton Park lately - and when 0-0 had been the best home result of the season, that was understandable.

That all changed at the weekend. A win alone would have been enough to bring some happiness, particularly one that was fully deserved. But on both a human and a footballing level, the return of Colby Bishop was far bigger than three points.

Back in July, the club revealed that Bishop would need to undergo open heart surgery after a “potential risk” was picked up in a routine scan. Understandably no more details of the condition were revealed, but there was a possibility he would never play football again.

To have to undergo such a serious procedure just days after Colby’s wife Annabel had given birth to their first child, a daughter named Camilla, must have felt like a nightmare.

There are always risks to operations like this, reading through the potential worst-case scenarios must be frightening. Open heart surgery is as dramatic as it sounds and not something anyone wants to go through.

To be back playing just three months later is remarkable. To come on and score the win-sealing third goal against Preston seemed more like a fairytale.

It was understandable how emotional Bishop was after the match and the reaction of his team-mates told you what they think of him. Everyone connected with Portsmouth will have left the stadium with a smile on their face after the match.

'Better than any new signing'

On a footballing level, Bishop’s absence has been keenly felt. He was a player many thought was ready for the jump up to the Championship. There were second-tier clubs looking at him in the summer of 2023, albeit no-one was likely to be willing to pay Pompey’s valuation.

He was arguably Pompey’s most important player, partly because there is no adequate replacement. Elias Sorensen has struggled to adapt to the Championship, Kusini Yengi has undoubted talent but hasn’t been able to show it consistently and Mark O’Mahony looks promising but is still a young player finding his way.

Bishop's penalty-box presence and ability to find himself in the right place at the right time has been sorely missed. Portsmouth’s set-pieces haven’t come close to the heights of last season. Bishop’s return will help these at both ends of the pitch.

He will have been disappointed and frustrated to be left out of Portsmouth’s initial 25-man squad, which had to be declared in early September. His absence in theory meant no return to first-team action until January. At the time it seemed understandable, as playing before then looked optimistic and Pompey needed to leave three senior players out.

Bishop was a key player in Portsmouth's League One title triumph

Once a return became possible, the search for a way to register him began. I doubt there are many people who truly know the English Football League rulebook inside out. The key loophole revolved around Ibane Bowat.

Defender Bowat suffered what has turned out to be a season-ending injury early in September so hasn’t been named in a matchday squad since the 25-man list was submitted.

Last week, the EFL agreed Bowat could be de-registered and Bishop added. It seems reasonable given the respective situations.

That wasn’t the only hurdle to overcome though. Bishop needed three further heart scans and the all-clear from a doctor before he could be considered, as well as proving his fitness. Even at the start of the week, the scenario which unfolded seemed a long shot.

It’s far too early to proclaim Bishop as Pompey’s saviour. The Blues are still in the relegation zone and will need more than one win to escape it. The division remains extremely challenging. It will take a bit of time for him to return to full fitness.

However, Bishop is better than any new signing. He’s a quality striker who should be able to adapt to this level.

Perhaps most importantly though, his return has given everyone an unexpected November boost just when Portsmouth needed one to appear from somewhere.