Cancelled trains, climate-change activists and M25 closures - when transfers go 'crazy'. The eye-opening inside track on Portsmouth's pursuit of Blackpool and Rotherham target

Cancelled trains, climate-change activists and M25 closures all impeded Pompey’s pursuit of the in-demand Colby Bishop striker last Wednesday.

Cowley even left the dug-out during the 1-1 draw at Bognor that evening to take a crucial phone call regarding progress on Bishop’s medical.

According to the Blues’ head coach, the 25-year-old was eventually signed at 2am on Thursday in the Village Hotel, Cosham.

And later that day Bishop would be unveiled as Pompey’s seventh signing of the summer.

Cowley told The News: ‘We had a crazy day on Wednesday. We organised the medical and Colby was due to come and train, with Simon Bassey picking him up from Euston station.

‘Then all of the trains from Manchester to London got cancelled, so next we got a driver – but he couldn't get Colby to Essex in time for the first part of his medical.

‘So then we managed to get a flight from Manchester to Heathrow, Simon Bassey picked him up from Heathrow at 12pm, we had to get him to Essex for 1.30pm.

‘Colby then spent an hour in standstill traffic because some climate-change activists had shut the M25 in both directions at junction 14-15.

‘It meant we had to think on our feet and swap over the appointments. So the scheduled second part of the medical in Tottenham Court Road was done first.

‘Luckily I have a good relationship with the first specialist and he managed to fit Colby in at 9pm on Wednesday night while we were playing Bognor.

‘Simon Bassey and Andy Cullen took him to the second part of his medical in Brentwood and then drove him back to Portsmouth once we were given the green light.

‘I actually took a call to say he had passed the medical when Jewitt-White was scoring his first goal at Bognor, so I didn’t see the goal!

‘At 2am on Thursday morning, we were in the Village Hotel getting it all signed, sealed and delivered.

‘A massive thanks for Simon Bassey, who I think drove about 18 hours on Wednesday to make it happen, and Andy Cullen, who moved heaven and earth to get it done.

‘He had better bring some goals now!’

Bishop had been set to join Pompey on Monday last week after Accrington had accepted a bid.

However, the emergence of Blackpool had left even Cowley accepting the Blues had missed out on the primary striking target.

Then, for whatever reason, the switch to the Championship club fell through – and, despite late interest from Rotherham, Bishop instead headed to the south coast.

Cowley added: ‘We had a deal agreed with Accrington on Sunday evening, we arranged a medical for Monday and halfway through that journey there was some interest from Championship clubs, there wasn’t just one but more.

‘Colby phoned. For me, to start any relationship with a player, it’s always to try to do it with a level of honesty, a level of trust, I treat them like they would be my own sons and I would try to give them the best advice.

‘Unfortunately the best advice was probably to try to gather information and speak to the other clubs – and then make a decision from there.

‘He spoke to them and ultimately decided he wanted to come here, which was brilliant for us.

‘Probably the fact that I’ve been on his case for the last six months, maybe even longer, was a reason, but I think he felt loved here and wanted here.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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