YORK City boss Terry Dolan has confirmed he would like to extend on-loan Jon Parkin's Bootham Crescent stay.

The versatile Parkin is little more than a week into an initial one-month stay from First Division Barnsley but Dolan has admitted he would like to keep the towering youngster for longer.

Under his current deal, Parkin is due to return to Oakwell after March 5 but the City manager said he would like to keep the 20-year-old until the end of the current campaign.

Parkin has made a quick impact at Bootham Crescent with City remaining unbeaten in his three games so far.

He scored the winner on his debut at Southend last week when operating as a striker.

He then underlined his versatility in the 1-1 draw at Halifax by playing one half up front and the other in defence.

On Saturday, Parkin played the whole game at the back and was instrumental in helping City keep a clean sheet with a 1-0 win over Hartlepool.

"I would hope we can keep him longer," said Dolan

"He has another five games to play having played three.

"He is getting first team football which is what he obviously wants.

"The game he played at Southend last week was his first full 90 minutes for six or seven weeks.

"He had two months on loan at Hartlepool and played just ten minutes in the first team."

Dolan added: "Funnily enough, our thoughts when he first came here was to play him up front but because of injuries and suspensions and the way we performed in the first-half on Tuesday at Halifax it gave us a chance to have a look at him at the back.

"He looked comfortable on Tuesday and he looked comfortable against Hartlepool.

"No disrespect to the players here, but he has been brought up at Barnsley when they have either been a First Division team or a Premiership team. He has been surrounded by better players."

Updated: 08:57 Monday, February 18, 2002