Gorman eyes Parkin in the January sales

9:38am Saturday 7th January 2006

JOHN Gorman saw two-goal striker Jon Parkin ruin his side's epic comeback on Monday and then admitted he wants to sign him.

The Macclesfield hot-shot is one of several names on Gorman's wish-list even though the Silkmen have issued a hands-off warning.

Gorman hailed the striker the best in the division, alongside his own Tommy Mooney, after seeing him notch a match-winning late double in Macclesfield's 5-4 Bank Holiday win over Wycombe.

But The Wycombe chief is not the only admirer of the strapping 25-year-old.

League Two rivals Lincoln and Chester have already tabled bids and received a frosty welcome from Town chairman Rod Bickerton.

He said: "Jon Parkin is not for sale and he's not on the transfer list." But he added cautiously that every League Two player has his price.

Cash-strapped Macclesfield must pay fines of £250,000 by the end of January and they know they could lose Parkin for nothing in the summer when his contract runs out.

Wanderers managing director Steve Hayes confirmed that Wycombe do have a limited amount of money available to strengthen the side which is currently sitting on top of the table.

But with the club's new plc reporting a loss of £1million in the first 11 months and Reading due to claim around £130,000 in a sell-on clause from the £675,000 sale of Nathan Tyson to Nottingham Forest, Wanderers are in no position to enter a bidding war.

Gorman said: "If we could afford him I would be interested in him, but I'm not sure we could afford him."

Parkin scored 25 goals last season and has netted eight times this term since recovering from a knee injury at the end of October.

He said: "I've got a contract until the end of the season and I will continue to play for Macclesfield until I am told otherwise. Like any professional I want to play at the highest level possible but I enjoy it here and the players are a great bunch of lads."

Gorman certainly isn't putting all his eggs in the Parkin basket. He has lined up a string of other options as he bids to boost his firepower as the season enters its business end.

Assistant boss Keith Ryan was spotted watching Watford prospect Hameur Bouazza, who has recently had a spell on loan at Swindon Town. The speedy striker in the mould of Nathan Tyson spent three months at the County Ground and scored three goals in 13 games.

The Blues are thought to be chasing Stockport's nine-goal top scorer Jermaine Easter, who has previously served Boston, Cam-bridge and Hartlepool and are also long-time admirers of Stevenage rebel Anthony Elding.

Clubs have been put on red alert after Stevenage boss Graham Westley told his star striker he has no future at the club.

Elding has scored 50 goals in 100 starts for the Broadhall Way outfit, but the 23-year-old has been told he will never wear the Stevenage shirt again following a row with boss Westley.

But with Boro already having turned down a £50,000 bid from Conference rivals Crawley earlier in the season, he could well be out of Wanderers' price range as they hunt defensive reinforcements as well.

The Free Press revealed last week Blues have already opened negotiations with Bristol City about a return to Adams Park for Richard Keogh.

The centre half impressed on his loan spell at Wycombe earlier this season and, with Wanderers leaking goals and skipper Roger Johnson suspended for the Notts County clash a week today, that situation has taken on fresh urgency.