York City striker Jon Parkin is ready to answer any SOS call from manager Chris Brass.

Parkin, 21, will be available for selection again at Darlington on Saturday after sitting out the last four matches because of suspension.

But the 6ft 4in target man, who plays for the reserves at Bradford City tonight, could be required in defence rather than in an attacking capacity with another possible replacement Stuart Wise still recovering from a knee injury.

Parkin has established himself as a forward at City after starting at the back when he arrived at Bootham Crescent from Barnsley in February 2002.

He has scored two goals in just four league starts for the Minstermen this season but Richard Hope's enforced four-match absence could see Parkin return to his former role.

Hope was already set to miss this weekend's trip to his former club after accruing five bookings this season but his sending off against Swansea on Saturday means he will also now be suspended for the following three games.

That means the ex-Northampton centre back will not be available again until the December 28 trip to Rochdale, assuming he is offered and signs a new contact with City when his current deal expires in two weeks' time.

But Parkin is ready to fill the breach if required.

He said: "If that's what happens then I am happy to do that. I will just have to wait and see what the gaffer thinks but, as long as I'm playing, I am not particularly bothered which position he puts me in."

Parkin's first-team appearances this term have been restricted by a mixture of suspension and injury.

He began the season with a three-match ban after being dismissed in a pre-season friendly against Livingston.

Injury then prevented him from starting a league game until the 1-1 home draw with Boston in October when he made a scoring return but two games later he was sent off at Scunthorpe.

He then made a goalscoring farewell with a terrific long-range strike in the 1-1 draw at Cheltenham before sitting out the FA Cup clash against home-town club Barnsley and league meetings with Doncaster, Leyton Orient and Swansea.

Parkin admits that his latest lay-off has been particularly tough, saying: "I'm definitely pleased to be available again. It's been so frustrating and probably one of the hardest times in my whole career.

"I think being suspended is worse than being injured because you are still training with the lads every day but then it comes to Friday and you know you won't be involved in the games. So hopefully I will play some part on Saturday."

Parkin also believes that despite his stop-start season he will be fit enough to figure in Brass' starting line-up for City's first-ever trip to the Reynolds Arena.

He said: "I hope I will be ready and I have been doing a lot of work with the fitness coach Kevin Hornsby so I shouldn't be too bad. I want to get 90 minutes out of the reserve game and see how it goes after that."

Like City's supporters, Parkin admitted the club's players are also looking forward to visiting Darlington's new 25,000-seater stadium.

He said: "You look forward to every game but it will be nice to go up there and see what the new stadium is like. We will take a few fans and get a good atmosphere because it's another derby so that will get us up for it as well."

Should Brass prefer Parkin in a forward role, the former Barnsley player will be one of five players vying for two starting places.

Aron Wilford was sidelined with injury last week but Lee Nogan, Jon Shaw, Gary Browne and Liam George should all be available for selection.

Parkin said: "There has been a couple of signings since I last played. Browney and Jon Shaw have both come in and I think they have done all right."

York City reserves team (at Bradford City tonight): Porter, Law, Davies, Fox, Anderson, Staley, Cooper, Coad, Parkin, Browne, George. Subs: Wilford, Stockdale, Stewart, Ashcroft, Arthur.

Updated: 10:49 Tuesday, December 02, 2003