Bird: I need a goal soon

The 25-year-old arrived at Fratton Park on the back of an extraordinary goalscoring record for non-league Burnham last season, netting 45 goals.

But despite hitting the goalscoring trail in pre-season against Hawks for Pompey, he has yet to break his duck and is desperate to start the ball rolling after making his first start for the club in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy in midweek.

Bird said: ‘I can’t wait for the moment that goal arrives.

‘I want to get it soon. I feel I need to get it sooner rather than later.

‘Believe me, I’m thinking about it a lot and want it to happen.

‘There were the two goals against Havant and Waterlooville in my first 45 minutes.

‘I was buzzing off that and thought the floodgates would maybe open. But surely when I get one that will happen then.

‘Last season at Burnham I didn’t score for the first three games but I still ended up getting all those goals.’

It’s been a tough baptism for the former electrician who admits he is learning all the time as he takes his first steps in professional football.

Boss Guy Whittingham has insisted he is prepared to cut him some slack having spotted his raw potential.

But the longer the wait goes on for his first goal, the more the pressure mounts.

Bird, however, is eager to do everything he can and has been putting in extra hours on the training ground – particularly on his hold-up play – even though he knows he will ultimately be judged on his goals return.

He said: ‘I want to do better.

‘Maybe one will go in off my ear. You take any goal, so hopefully when one goes in they will start to flow for me.’