YORK City chief Terry Dolan today moved to strengthen his depleted red ranks by snapping up Barnsley's Jon Parkin on a month's loan.

The 20-year-old offers the City manager some much needed versatility - he is comfortable leading the line in attack but can also play in defence.

With Gary Hobson, Mike Basham and John Fielding sidelined through injury, it is at centre-back where Parkin looks likely to feature at Southend United on Saturday.

The Barnsley-born striker-cum-defender has made 13 appearances in the first team at Oakwell, where he has progressed through the ranks.

Rumoured to be a target of Leeds United last season, Parkin started the season in the Barnsley first team but has fallen out of favour since Steve Parkin - no relation - has picked up the managerial reins.

Earlier this season he spent a short time on loan at Hartlepool but with a number of games falling victim to the weather made just one substitute appearance for United before returning to Barnsley.

At 6ft 4in, the towering Parkin will provide some much needed height and muscle to the City rearguard and with his forward instincts should provide a threat at set-pieces.

Meanwhile, City goalkeeper Russ Howarth could be on the verge of fresh international honours.

The Football Association have announced England's Under-20 side will face their Finnish counterparts in a friendly at Bolton's Reebok Stadium on March 13.

The side, coached by Les Reed, comprises the finest young England talent of the age range just below the England Under-21 set-up.

Although Reed has yet to name his squad for the friendly, City number two Howarth is almost certain to be called-up after keeping goal in England's 1-0 win over Portugal at Southampton's St Mary's Stadium last year.

The match will enable Reed and his coach Martin Hunter to assess the players available to them at this level before they take a team out to the prestigious Toulon-winners' tournament in France in May.

The match will kick off at 7.30pm and will be televised live by Sky Sports.

Updated: 12:02 Thursday, February 07, 2002