FORMER Worcester City striker Colby Bishop has completed a move to EFL League One side Portsmouth on a three-year deal.

Bishop, 25, played for Worcester City back in the 2016-17 season where he scored eight goals in 26 appearances in the National League North.

The stint at City came after spending a year on loan with Gloucester City under now City boss, Tim Harris.

After spending six years in the non-league game, Bishop got his professional move when he joined Accrington Stanley for the 2019/20 season.

He has been with Stanley ever since and scored 39 goals in 123 appearances.

But now he will play in Pompey blue, despite heavy interest from EFL Championship side Blackpool FC, who pulled out of the deal last minute.

After signing on the dotted line, Blues boss Danny Cowley said: "It wasn’t straightforward – these things never are – and we had to be pretty resilient and determined.

"We had an offer accepted for Colby and there was also Championship interest, while he wants to play at the highest level possible.

"So we were a bit nervous, but we spoke with him and told him to take his time and make an intelligent decision. Ultimately, he’s chosen to come here – and that’s brilliant.

"He wants to play in the Championship and so do we, so I think our ambitions are aligned in that sense.

"My chief scouts in the centre-forward department are always my centre-halves, so we spoke with Clark Robertson, Sean Raggett and Connor Ogilvie.

"I asked them for the toughest forward they’ve played against in this division and they all said Colby, which says a lot about his attributes.

"He’s an unselfish link player, which is something that we really like and we relish the opportunity to play into and up to him.

"We also like to get into wide areas and cross the ball, and in the box he carries a real threat – both from open play and set-pieces.

"It’s a really exciting signing for Portsmouth Football Club and we’ve had to be patient, but I think that Colby could see that he’s really wanted here."