Former Fratton favourite casts doubt over John Marquis' Portsmouth future

Former Fratton favourite David Norris has cast doubt over John Marquis’ Pompey future.
John Marquis has made 100 appearances for Pompey over two spells, scoring 32 goals.John Marquis has made 100 appearances for Pompey over two spells, scoring 32 goals.
John Marquis has made 100 appearances for Pompey over two spells, scoring 32 goals.

The ex-Blues midfielder said the striker is not providing the goals the PO4 outfit need to get out of League One.

And he admitted that could lead to a possible move away from the south coast in the summer.

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Marquis joined Pompey from Doncaster Rovers for £1m in 2019, after plundering 67 goals in 153 appearance for the Keepmoat side over three seasons.

But he hasn’t been able to repeat that prolificacy at Fratton Park.

The 28-year-old finished last season’s shortened campaign with 14 goals from 48 outings.

Meanwhile, this season, the club's top scorer has netted 16 times during 46 appearances to date.

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That works out at 30 goals from his 94 games during his second spell at the club.

It hasn’t been enough to earn Pompey the automatic promotion to the Championship they crave.

There’s the potential also that the seventh-placed Blues might miss out on this season’s play-offs, with just three games of the campaign remaining.

New head coach Danny Cowley will be keen to add fresh blood to the Pompey ranks in the summer irrespective of what division the club find themselves in.

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And, Norris, who spent the 2011-12 season at Fratton Park, believes Marquis’ Blues future could be on the line given his struggles in front of goal.

Speaking to Football League World, the former Ipswich and Leeds midfielder said: ‘It’s a tough one because he is struggling.

‘I don’t think you can fault his effort. But he’s not getting the goals that they probably needed.

‘So I think it will be interesting to see what happens with him this summer and it will depend on who they bring in and, you know, who else leaves.

‘But, yeah, I think it’s been a bit of a tough one for him.

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‘Like I said, I don’t think we can fault his efforts but it’s not really happened for him in front of goal and he’s struggling at the minute.’

Marquis’ last Pompey goal came in a 2-1 win at Shrewsbury on March 27 – a game that also saw him shown a red card.

That saw the front man handed a three-match ban.

Yet since his return he’s failed to score – missing a crucial penalty in the goalless draw at Crewe.

However, after his blank in the 1-0 win against Bristol Rovers – his fourth game without a goal – head coach Cowley insisted Marquis would hit the Pompey goal trail - when it counted.

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Fellow strikers Ellis Harrison and Jordy Hiwula, both of whom are currently out injured, have scored six and three goals respectively this season.

Winger Ronan Curtis is second behind Marquis in the Blues scoring charts this term with 13 goals.

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