When Luke Nightingale burst onto the scene with two goals on his debut for Portsmouth six years ago, a glittering career looked to be in the pipeline.

Now the Bognor striker has ditched his dream of being a professional footballer and is training to become a plumber instead.

Nightingale was just 17 when he bagged a brace to give Pompey a 2-1 win over West Brom in the First Division. Two months later he grabbed the headlines again when he gave Alan Ball's side the lead against Premiership high-fliers Leeds in the FA Cup.

With 20 appearances under his belt at such a tender age the sky seemed the limit for Nightingale until a knee injury turned his world upside down.

He missed the majority of the next season and just as he recovered he damaged the cartilage in the other knee and was forced to endure another lengthy lay-off.

When he finally regained full fitness, Nightingale found himself out of favour at Fratton Park and eventually left his home town club at the start of last season.

After spending an unhappy year playing out of position under former Pompey team mate Steve Claridge at Weymouth, Nightingale was snapped up by Bognor boss Jack Pearce in the summer.

Six goals in his first four games have already alerted a posse of scouts but Nightingale insists he is not interested in trying his chances in the League again.

Nightingale said: "I don't necessarily want to get back into League football. I've had enough of travelling everywhere and trying to make it as a professional footballer.

"I am really enoying myself at Bognor and the past couple of months have been the happiest I have been since I burst onto the scene with Portsmouth.

"Jack convinced me it was the right move for me to come here and I am delighted he did. I'm not interested in going full-time again as I've got a two year contract at Bognor and am training to be a plumber."

That is good news for Bognor whose flying start to the Conference south campaign owes a lot to Nightingale's goals.

He scored on his debut in the 3-2 opening day win at Margate and then found the net again in the 3-1 defeat by Lewes. Both goals in the 2-2 draw against former club Weymouth were especially sweet and Nightingale repeated the feat in the 5-0 win at Thurrock on Tuesday to put him on top of the scoring charts in Sussex.

He said: "The first goal for a new club is always the hardest so I was pleased to get it in the first game and I haven't looked back since.

"I couldn't have wished for a better start really but I've always known I can score goals. That is what I do and was the main reason Jack brought me to Bognor.

"It was particularly nice to get two against Weymouth because I didn't have the best of years there. I started the season up front but was switched to wing-back after three or four games and stayed there for the rest of the season.

"It is not my ideal position because I can't defend to save my life. I still scored 15 goals but I didn't enjoy it, so in the summer I went to see Claridge and we agreed it was best I found another club.

"Jack knows my strength is scoring goals and told me he wanted me to play as an out and out striker so I had no hesitation in signing."

Nightingale will be looking to maintain his record of scoring in every game when Bognor travel to Redbridge on Saturday, with Pearce set to name an unchanged side.

A third straight victory on the road would keep the Rocks near the top of the table and Nightingale is not surprised they have made such an impressive start.

"Jack is playing down our chances but I think we are definitely capable of staying in the top half," said Nightingale. "Our team is too good to struggle."