Open heart surgery saved his life seven months ago, now he’s scoring goals in the EFL Championship

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After winning the League One title last season, it was a tough start to life back in the Championship for Portsmouth as they failed to win any of their first nine league games.

However, Pompey have improved significantly since then under John Mousinho, with Colby Bishop crucial to their improvement in recent months at Fratton Park after being a key piece of the side in the third tier previously.

The 28-year-old signed a three-year deal at Pompey back in 2022 after joining for a reported fee of £500,000 from Accrington Stanley, according to the BBC.

It was always thought that the Portsmouth star was likely to be as crucial as he has been over the last few years, with the striker arguably now in the peak of his career at the age of 28. That’s after the striker had been in exceptional scoring form during the 2023/24 campaign.

For many heading into the summer, it was interesting to see whether Mousinho’s side and Bishop could adapt, after seeing him pass the 20-goal mark again last season. There was excitement surrounding the centre-forward’s Championship chances.

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Portsmouth’s difficult start to the season without Colby Bishop

Bishop was instrumental to their League One title triumph, coming second in the division’s top scorer charts with 21 goals, and proving to be one of the shrewdest bits of business the club’s done in recent years after signing him from Accrington.

The South coast club had not competed at this level of English football since 2012, so were looking to build a team capable of sustaining their place in the division long-term, and Bishop was seen as central to that.

Mousinho’s goal was to maintain the team’s competitive edge and avoid any kind of relegation battle this season. The club will eventually hope to cement their place in the Championship, with a view to competing for promotion to the top-flight in the long-term.

Bishop was set to play second tier football for the first time in his career before disaster struck. Following a routine pre-season heart scan, Bishop was found to be a ‘potential risk’ by cardiologists.

With priorities in order, Portsmouth and Bishop made no hesitation in dealing with the issue regardless of their Championship preparations, with the striker undergoing acute surgery in August.

Unfortunately, after years of working his way up the football pyramid, the next part of the climb was put on hold due to the major health problem.

The 28-year-old was forced to have open-heart surgery and Portsmouth supporters were fearing the worst about his future and that of the club; this could well have been a turning point in a difficult start to life in the second tier.

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Colby Bishop has proven to be a turning point for Portsmouth and John Mousinho

Effectiveness in front of goal had been something that the Fratton Park residents struggled with so far this season, meaning if Bishop could play any part at all, then his presence was always going to bolster Pompey’s attacking efforts.

And when he made his Championship debut as a substitute during a 3-1 win over Preston North End, he scored from the penalty spot just over 10 minutes after he was introduced to the action. But the most pleasing aspect of the striker’s return for Mousinho, is the fact that he has helped to get the best out of other pieces of the side.

That includes summer signing Josh Murphy, as Bishop’s presence of late has given Murphy et al. a focal point in the attack to link up with and build attacks from by sustaining pressure well in the opposition’s half, and Murphy has subsequently formed a successful partnership with the 28-year-old.

Portsmouth had won just one of their first 14 games without Bishop, but after making his return as a second half substitute against Preston, it has proved to be a turning point for Mousinho’s men.

Bishop has recorded six goals and two assists from 22 Championship outings this term, with 90 minutes completed in 11 of the last 14 second tier games, highlighting the impact he has on the team and his relentlessness after a worrying health risk.

It begs the question of how many he would have hit this season, with the top goalscorers in the Championship not quite hitting the heights of players in previous seasons in the second tier.

In home games for Portsmouth in particular, Bishop has notched crucial contributions. That includes two against Bristol City, and involvements against Coventry City, Swansea City, Stoke City, and Cardiff City. However, his magnum opus of the season so far came recently against Leeds United.

It was a vital win for Portsmouth over the weekend against the high-flying promotion pushers, and a real accomplishment in the latest chapter of Bishop’s career so far. It was his deftest and most sumptuous finish of the lot thus far, too.

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John Mousinho comments on Colby Bishop after heart surgery

Their immediate short-term future is to stabilise and consolidate themselves as a Championship club, but this summer will be a test of their ambition and they will want to build around players like Bishop.

Mousinho’s side have still languished in and around the relegation zone for much of the season, despite Sunday’s impressive win against Daniel Farke. Mousinho has been delighted with Bishop’s efforts since his return and talked up his importance to Sky Sports.

Mousinho said: “Colby’s been incredible for myself from the first minute that I walked into the building.

“Coming back from major heart surgery, somehow managing to get himself back two months earlier [than first planned] and have a huge contribution to our upturn in fortunes.

“The goals for Colby will always come, I am sure of that; but he gives us everything off the ball as well.

“A proper number nine and someone we have looked over the past couple of seasons to build around.

“When you think about what he’s been through, it’s even better.”

It’s only been just over four months since the star striker underwent major surgery. That combined with his lack of game minutes should have meant a lack of fitness would not be much of a surprise, but his intensity and power have been a real benefit to Pompey.

Given Bishop’s strong connection with Portsmouth supporters, it always seemed likely that he would sign a new contract at the club, but Mousinho will be pleased to have tied him down before the summer transfer window.

He has recently pen to paper on a new deal to keep him at Fratton Park until the summer of 2028, which is a real reward for his hard work on and off the pitch to return in the manner that he has.