Parkin told to pack his bags

Stoke City manager, Tony Pulis has revealed that Jon Parkin’s new Potters’ contract will mean that the Beast has to leave his home town of Barnsley.

Parkin, who still lives in the town in which he was born and bred, has had a clause written into his contract by the club that means he will have to move to North Staffordshire. Tony Pulis was adamant that for the striker to fulfil his potential he must concentrate on his football without too many social distractions.

Pulis told the Sentinel: ‘He’s 25-years-old now and has reached the stage of his career where he’s really got to knuckle down.

‘I believe he’s settling down with a regular girlfriend, which always helps, so hopefully we can now see him start to pin his colours to the mast.’

Tony also revealed that it’s not just him who thinks the club have got a good signing: ‘Former Hull managers Peter Taylor and Phil Parkinson have recommended him so highly it’s frightening.’

This is slightly reminisant of Lee Chadwick’s situation last year. He had a similar clause inserted that made the midfielder move from his Cambridge base to the Potteries, but ultimately that led to his transfer last January to Norwich after his family did not manage to settle in the area.