I'll prove strike ace!-Huddersfield

[Chase]

KEIGAN PARKER aims to prove a point to Blackpool – by helping fire Town to the Championship.

The 25-year-old Galpharm signing was a key player in the Pool side which took that step up the football ladder 12 months ago.

But the striker’s seaside stint went stale during the season just finished, and now he’s eager to make up for lost time.

“It’s been frustrating,” admitted Parker, who made 10 starts and 11 appearances as a substitute as Simon Grayson’s side finished 19th.

“Immediately after winning promotion in the play-off final at Wembley, the club told me we would have talks over a contract extension, but time passed and nothing happened.

“Having scored 16 goals that season, I thought they’d be a bit keener to get something sorted, but there didn’t seem to be any urgency.

“I wasn’t getting as many games as I would have liked either, so by the time a new deal was discussed, I’d pretty much made the decision to move on.”

Having talked to a string of clubs, Parker was lured by the potential and ambition of Town, who he says were talked up by old boy Gary Taylor-Fletcher, now at Blackpool.

“I spoke to both Fletch and (Town left-back) Robbie Williams, who had a loan spell at Blackpool, and they both told me what I already thought – that Town are a good club,” he explained.

“Stan Ternent’s aim is to get us into the Championship, and mine is to do whatever I can to help achieve that.

“I could have stayed in the Championship, but dropping back down to League I isn’t a worry because this club is geared for bigger things.

“The manager has a good previous record of getting promotion from this division, and I firmly believe he can do it again.”

Parker, who had six seasons at St Johnstone before signing for Blackpool in 2004, is aiming to add to a career goals tally of 66 (25 in Scotland). He added: “I can’t wait for training to start.

“Most players are desperate for a rest at this stage of the year, but I didn’t play nearly as much as I should have last season.

“I’m keen to meet the rest of the lads, get some hard work under my belt and ensure I’m ready to hit the ground running in August.”

Before that Parker, who is single, will have a short Spanish holiday, then start house-hunting in the Huddersfield area.