JOSH’S TALE RIPE FOR HOLLYWOOD
THE Oscars are fast approaching and any director hoping to reach such heady heights in the future could do worse than look at the story of Gillingham new boy Josh Parker.
On January 28, English-born Antigua international Parker signed a contract with Gillingham until the end of the season.
It marked his return to the Football League following a three-and-a-half year absence.
After coming through the ranks at QPR and then signing for Oxford United via Oldham, attacker Parker upped sticks to Domzale in Slovenia in June 2013.
His form there led him to sign for the historic Red Star Belgrade in Serbia in January 2015 – but that’s where it all started to go wrong.
“People tell me my life is like a movie and it really has been,” explained 26-year-old Parker.
“What should have been a dream at Red Star turned into a nightmare.
“There was a point where I didn’t play football for six months and they attempted to dismiss me.
“I signed a long contract with Red Star for three-and-a-half years, but from the moment I signed they never once stuck to anything they said.
“They sent a car to come and pick me up from the airport and laid everything on for me, but from the moment I signed it all went downhill.
“I never received a salary on time for seven months and, coming from England, that was unthinkable.
“It just wouldn’t happen over here. With a club like Red Star, you expect better.
Cancelled
“I was doing well, too, as I had a few goals and assists in my first few games. But the relationship broke down. I had a young son at the time, Cairo, and now I have a daughter, Aieko, and I needed to protect myself and them financially.
“I was forced to go to Aberdeen on loan in 2015, just to play football, and when I went back to Red Star they told me I was not training with the first team and they would not allow me any equipment.
“But I had to train or they could have cancelled my contract completely, so it was tough.”
After two years of broken promises, Parker returned to England, though his future and contract was still in the hands of Red Star Belgrade.
But last month Wealdstone manager Gordon Bartlett got in touch and, after pushing through his international clearance, Parker lined up for Stones against Harrow Borough in the Middlesex Senior Cup. New Gillingham boss Ady Pinnock got wind that Parker had returned and, after Wealdstone’s 1-0 win, the two met up. There could now be a happy ending in store. “The Wealdstone manager called me and said he had spoken to my old Sunday League manager, who said I wasn’t doing anything at the time,” Parker added. “I told him I couldn’t and he said ‘I can try and get your international clearance for you as I’ve done it for a few boys before’.
“It came through and I just started to feel all hot and sweaty. I didn’t know what to do, it had been so long!
“I played one cup game for Wealdstone and, after seven months out, I wasn’t in great shape. There was so much going on that I had a bit of a mental block towards football.
“I was looking at ending my career and giving up, but then my agent said the new Gillingham manager had been in touch. He liked my story and is keen to give people a second chance. “I went down to Kent and he signed me within two days. I thank him for his faith in me and I want to repay him on the pitch.
Hungrier
“I am quite a naturally fit guy so I don’t think it will be like pre-season when I get going. I won’t need three weeks to get back up to speed.
“It has made me hungrier, much hungrier than I thought I would ever be and it is a good time to be at Gillingham.”