Bishop started his career as a youth player at Cardiff, however left the club due to disciplinary issues.
However, during a match versus Newbridge, Chris Jarman received a broken jaw in an off-the ball incident.
Jarman brought a private prosecution resulting in Bishop being given a suspended jail sentence and an eleven-month ban by the WRU.
Two highlights during this period were saving Pontypool from relegation from Division 1 with a victory over UWIC and the 16–15 win over Neath RFC in the Welsh Cup in 1999.
Pontypool then played Cardiff in the next round of the cup, where they were heavily defeated, but Bishop faced his old adversary Robert Jones for the last time.