Guiseley AFC's leading scorer Simon Parke has signed a two year contract with Conference side Southport.

He joins his former Guiseley colleagues Steve Dickinson and Lee Elam at Haig Avenue.

Parke, 28, became one of manager Mark Wright's close season signings but he is not clear yet who will be his strike partner. Guiseley get no fee for Parke as he was out of contract at the end of the season.

Much as the Guiseley club would have liked to hang on to their star player it was obvious for some time that he would be moving on as a clutch of clubs showed an interest in him including Rushden and Diamonds and Stevenage.

Parke talked of his move to the west coast club to our Sports Editor Rachel O'Connor.

He said: "I have got to go there and prove a point again but I don't really see a problem. There is a lot of hype about Conference football but personally I don't think there is much difference between the UniBond Premier Division and the Conference - just the money."

Parke admitted some sadness at leaving Guiseley, a club where he has become a great favourite with the spectators.

"I am sad to be leaving. I have enjoyed it at Guiseley although it was hard to start with under Rico (then manager Steve Richards).

"I managed to come through the ranks after lower level football at Campion progressing through the Reserves to the first team at Guiseley. It wasn't easy at times but Bobby Davison has been a big influence on me.

"He gave me a lot of confidence and had the vision to see beyond the silly stuff and see that I could make a good striker. He could see what my best position was and could understand when I had problems with work. He gave me the chance to play as a striker and show what I could do. I enjoyed playing alongside him, he taught me a lot."

Bradford-based Parke is looking forward to the challenge at a higher level. He said: "It won't be easy at Southport but I will do some damage. I just want to know who I will be partnering up front. It looks a decent squad with Mike Marsh having joined as well and with Dicko (Steve Dickinson) and Lee (Elam) already there I will find it easy to settle in. That is the main reason I chose to go there from all the clubs interested in me. Being with Dicko and Lee will make it easier for me to settle in. I will be able to concentrate on the job of scoring goals."

Considering the fact that every game will now be an away game for him Parke said: "I don't know how easy or difficult it will be to fit all the travelling in along with my job with Yorkshire Cable. We will have to see but maybe I will have to give my job up."

Parke assured supporters at Guiseley that they have not seen the last of him.

"I will be coming back as often as possible and will be there to watch them when I am not playing myself," he said.

Parke was a big favourite on and off the field at Guiseley and his presence not only on the pitch but in the clubhouse too will be sorely missed.

He scored 58 goals in 114 games for the first team at Guiseley spread over four seasons.

However, in the first two seasons he was usually played as a central defender or midfielder.

In the past two seasons when he has been played as an out and out striker he has scored 54 goals in 83 games.

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