Josh rejects easy option

CRUEL BLOW . . . Josh Parker and Rochdale goalkeeper Jake Kean have a coming-together which ended in an injury-enforced spell on the sidelines for the Latics striker.

Parker prepared to fight for his football future

LIFE isn't comfortable for Josh Parker.

On the verge of a first-team comeback — he will be fit and available for selection against Bradford on Tuesday — the forward, who turns 21 today, is over a nasty and thankfully rare impact fracture suffered against Rochdale in only his second start for Athletic.

There is no longer any physical pain for Parker. But that doesn't mean he isn't prepared to suffer for his art.

It doesn't take an expert to pick those top-level players from large squads who appear content — at least on the surface — to lurk in the background, picking up decent salaries in exchange for rolling up to a few training sessions and reserves matches.

This was an option for Parker. It wasn't the life he wanted: "I actually turned down a two-year contract at Queen's Park Rangers to come here," said the Slough-born player, who signed a one-year deal shortly before the start of the season.

“The reason for that was, I could see myself just chilling on the sidelines. I didn't want to do that — I wanted to create a career. My agent said to me that I needed to go somewhere else to play and (Rangers manager) Neil Warnock told me to go and make a name for myself.

"I had quite a few clubs who made contact, but my agent is close to Paul Dickov and told me that he would get the best out of me.

"So I came here originally on trial and then went out to play for Antigua for a couple of weeks.

"When I came back home, things seemed to have died down and I didn't know if I would end up with Oldham again. Thankfully I did get back, scored a couple of goals in pre-season games and ended up being involved against Sheffield United on the opening day."

Parker leapt from the bench after an hour to replace Reuben Reid and immediately made an impression with his darting runs down the line against the Blades.

Two more eye-catching substitute appearances later, he was named in the starting line-up for a game at Scunthorpe and responded by showing a pleasing inclination to cross early and with accuracy from wide on the right, a potent weapon when allied to his searing pace.

Then, right as he was getting into his stride in terms of match fitness, Parker's budding Athletic career was put on hold.

In trying to take the ball around Rochdale's Jake Kean at Boundary Park late in the derby win, Parker fell and the goalkeeper landed on top of him, forcing his leg into the turf. It meant he had to leave Boundary Park on crutches that night.

"If I had just scored, it would not have happened," said Parker, of the freak injury, the severity of which only became clear when scan results came back later the same week.

Now settled in the area, the intervening weeks between the Rochdale game and now are a past he doesn't want to revisit.

And looking forward, Parker says with a refreshing honesty that he is keen to prove his worth not as a winger, but a bona fide striker.

"I don't like the wing!" he added. "Everyone tends to say 'he has got some pace, he will be good out there'. I see myself as a striker. We have Matt Smith who is similar to Shefki Kuqi and Robbie Simpson who is more of a playmaker, and with Reuben Reid out at the moment — not that I would wish it on anyone — hopefully I can offer something different."

Another, then, to add to the list as a player hungry to impress.