'I need to play in a team that suits me, with a manager that suits me': John Marquis reflects on Portsmouth and Lincoln frustrations - and new start at Bristol Rovers

While Bristol Rovers’ new signing has also called on supporters not to judge his performances purely on goals.

The 30-year-old took just 10 seconds to mark his debut on English soil with a goal, netting in Tuesday evening’s 4-1 win over Chippenham Town.

He scored twice before withdrawn at half-time with a dead leg as Rovers followers were given an impressive first glimpse of their summer recruit.

Marquis, of course, endured a miserable Fratton Park spell last season, before joining Lincoln in January, where he scored five goals in 20 games.

Now the former £1m Pompey recruit is seeking to rebuild his career under Joey Barton at the Memorial Ground.

Marquis told Bristol Live: ‘For me, I just want to get back enjoying my football and playing with a smile on my face to my full capability.

‘At times, it’s been frustrating, which is just part of football, I suppose. There will be ups and downs in everyone’s career and throughout a season, I know that, but I want to have more happy moments moving forward and I know this is a place where I can achieve that.

‘I know my capabilities, what I’ve done at this level for a number of years now, so I just need to play in a team that suits me with a manager that suits me and accepts and likes me for who I am, and likes what I do.

‘And that’s hopefully what I can achieve here - get back to having fun on a football pitch.

‘Lee (Brown) and Ellis (Harrison) spoke ever so highly of the place. When I knew there was a chance of going there, I picked their brains a bit and they said, “You’ll love it, you’ll love the area, you’ll love the people at the club, the fans, everything about it”.

‘Them giving me a nudge helped it but I was pretty made up anyway.’

During his two-and-a-half years at Fratton Park, Marquis hit 38 goals in 127 appearances.

However, just 10 arrived in his final 55 appearances, including four in the 2021-22 season.

And, with his contract ticking down, the out-of-sorts striker was offloaded to Lincoln in January for a nominal fee.

Marquis added: ‘They’re the areas I like to get in, that’s part of my game, getting in and around the six-yard box and one or two-touch finishes.

‘They’re the areas most of my goals come from so as long as the balls keep going in there, I’ll hopefully get on the end of some good quality.

“A number nine nowadays has to do a bit of everything but, first and foremost, I have to try to score goals.

‘But there’s also linking the play, making unselfish runs, setting off the press, running in behind, so there’s a lot of things nines need to do, but a lot of people looking at it from the outside in think all that matters is goals, but that’s not just the case.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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