Parky situation reaches stalemate

By Carl Marston

THE Phil Parkinson saga has reached stalemate, with Colchester United and Hull City continuing to thrash out a compensation package, with no immediate end in sight.

Parkinson's agent, Barry Nevill, revealed yesterday that the 38-year-old U's boss, who still has another year left on his contract, has no intention of returning to Layer Road.

Meanwhile, at least two offers of compensation from managerless Hull, the second believed to be £250,000, have been declined by U's chairman Peter Heard.

Having guided the U's into the Championship, by finishing second in League One, Parkinson shocked the Essex club by resigning as manager a fortnight ago. He was immediately linked with the vacant job at fellow Championship side Hull City.

However, Colchester refused to accept Parkinson's resignation, and then successfully secured a temporary High Court injunction which prevented their manager from talking to other clubs. All parties are therefore left in a state of limbo. Both the U's and Tigers are without a new manager in place - pre-season begins for both clubs next week - and Hull are pinning their hopes on having the injunction overturned on Monday.

City chairman Adam Pearson confirmed that an offer of £250,000 had been tabled yesterday, an improvement on the alleged earlier figure of £150,000.

"It's a very generous offer, five times the value of the unexpired part of Phil Parkinson's contract," said Pearson.

"We could probably get to £300,000 but unfortunately the Colchester chairman [Mr Heard] has asked for half-a-million pounds plus costs.”

The U's are understandably angered that Parkinson, after three successful years at the club, has decided to leave with a year still remaining on his contract, and on the eve of their first-ever season in the second tier of the Football League.

Barry Nevill insisted: “Phil Parkinson doesn't have any intention of returning to Colchester. He's resigned and that's that.”