Jack Parkinson has told how he turned down a move to Maidstone’s FA Cup opponents Stevenage.

A £10,000 fee was agreed between Welling and Stevenage three years ago but Parkinson couldn’t agree personal terms and rejected the chance to play in League 1.

He had just taken on the academy manager role at Maidstone and couldn’t commit to full-time training on the money offered by Boro.

Parkinson said: “An opportunity came up at Southend and I was going to go there, then I got a call from Jamie Day (Welling boss) saying Stevenage were interested and they were in League 1 at the time.

“I trained on the Monday, played against Dover on Tuesday and was offered a deal.
“When I met the chief executive on Wednesday morning, they’d agreed a fee with Welling but the money they offered me was outrageous.

“I couldn’t live off it training full-time and travelling an hour-and-a-half every day, so I decided to stay at Welling. I’m not a money grabber – I never have been – but you have to be realistic.

“It’s still my ambition to play in the Football League. I’m not saying I will but every player wants to go as high as they can.

“At the time I’d just started the academy at Maidstone, over at Cobdown before the ground was built and I’d spent a lot of money getting my UEFA A Licence.

“I felt if I went full-time at Stevenage and it didn’t work out, I’d be losing everything I’d worked for.”