JON Parkin admitted that he was hurt by the reception he was given by City fans on his scoring return to Bootham Crescent yesterday, writes.

The 22-year-old striker netted the first goal in a 2-0 win that lifted relegation rivals Macclesfield above the Minstermen and then celebrated by racing to the David Longhurst Stand and pointing to the name on the back of his shirt.

Afterwards, he revealed that his reaction was in response to the jeering he received before the match, saying: "To be honest, I thought I was going to get a decent reception but when I got booed I thought 'stuff 'em' really. It hurt a bit.

"I enjoyed my two years and, I won't lie, I was a little bit gutted to go, I didn't want to but that's just the way football is."

Added Parkin: "I could have gone a year-and-a-half ago when the money situation was really bad but I stayed.

"I have to do my best for Macclesfield Town now though and hopefully we can get ourselves out of trouble."

Parkin added that he would like City to stay up but not if it is at the expense of his new employers.

He said: "I am a little bit surprised to see York down there after the good start we had but it's just been a bit of a slippery slope during the last 12 games. I definitely don't want York to go down but if it means us staying up that's just the way it is."

Meanwhile, Parkin's ex-City striking ally Peter Duffield hit tthe decisive second goal in bottom-placed Carlisle's 2-1 win at Swansea.

And on-loan City ace Lee Bullock was Cardiff's match-winner at Gillingham, where another 'old boy', Alan Pouton missed a penalty for the Gills.

Updated: 10:20 Monday, April 05, 2004