How a remarkable 28-year-old has persuaded Portsmouth to re-evaluate their player contract strategy

Then again, some things are worth making exceptions for - even a 28-year-old.

Traditionally, Pompey have been loath to offer new deals before the season’s end. It’s a scenario usually linked with genuine uncertainty over which division they will be featuring in.

There has been the occasional exemption during a season, such as a promising talent like Toby Steward, while Jay Mingi was offered a three-year agreement in December 2022, yet refused to sign.

In February 2020, Ronan Curtis was handed a new three-and-a-half year deal to bring his pay towards parity with other first-team regulars ahead of a summer expiry, while Ben Close was granted one in April 2019.

Yet they remain rare cases. Largely, the Blues have preferred to carry out such business after a season has finished, particularly the elder statesmen.

Even last year, having led League One for all but one week since September 2023, it was the summer which heralded fresh contracts for Marlon Pack, Conor Shaughnessy and Connor Ogilvie.

Of that title-winning side, now it’s the turn of Bishop, who has agreed a three-and-a-half year deal with 12 matches - and more than two months - of the current campaign still remaining.

Unquestionably, keeping one of your best players who boasts 50 goals in 120 outings is to be applauded, likewise the club should be congratulated on such forward thinking.

Indeed, now contracted until the summer of 2028, Bishop is tied to the Blues for the same duration as promising trio Jacob Farrell, Abdoulaye Kamara and Thomas Waddingham.

Only Hayden Matthews is contracted for longer, having last month joined from Sydney FC in a transfer worth around £1.2m and signed a four-and-a-half year deal.

It’s testament to the high regard Bishop is held, by the football club and the fan base. Presently Pompey are undoubtedly a better team with him available - as has yet again been proven during the step up to the Championship.

Having joined from Accrington for £500,000 in July 2022, the striker’s three-year arrangement was scheduled to expire this summer. Although the club did possess a club option to extend that by 12 months, thereby protecting them from losing an undeniable asset.

Regardless, a fresh contract has now been negotiated, offering more excellent news during an encouraging period which has seen the Blues register three successive victories to propel them further away from the Championship relegation zone.

Bishop, of course, has been pivotal in the team’s rejuvenation since returning to the side against Preston in November, following career-saving heart surgery just three months earlier.

At that point, Mousinho’s men had won one of their opening 15 matches in all competitions to slump to the foot of the Championship, some five points short of safety.

After an emotional entrance off the bench to net from the penalty spot in that 3-1 triumph over the Lilywhites, Bishop has subsequently started 19 successive league matches, yielding nine wins, three draws and 30 points.

In recent times, the likes of Sean Raggett, Michael Jacobs, Reeco Hackett, Lee Brown and, of course, Pack, Shaughnessy and Ogilvie have had to hold on until the summer for a fresh deal.

Pompey, however, were in no mood to keep Colby Bishop waiting.