Striker In, Striker Out

19 September 2013 16:40
Pompey gain a Marquis but lose a Bird for a month.

Portsmouth have signed Millwall striker John Marquis on a month's loan and have allowed Havant & Waterlooville to borrow Ryan Bird for the same period of time.

Marquis, 21, has risen through the ranks of Millwall's youth academy and has scored five goals at senior level after being loaned to Staines Town briefly in 2010, where he scored a hat-trick against Thurrock.

At over 6 feet tall it seems like he has been brought in to replace Bird as a target man option off the bench when Patrick Agyemang is inevitably substituted.

It's a move that makes sense as Bird hasn't looked very impressive whenever he has come on and in honesty, may well struggle to ever make it in league football at the age of 25. His spell at the Hawks should prove telling.

Only time will tell if Marquis turns out to be more than just a bit-part player brought on to hold the ball up late in games or as a desperate measure to get a late goal.

Source: Fratton Faithful

Source: FOOTYMAD