Scots-born sentinel reinforces York City’s central-defensive core (From York Press)
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Scots-born Chris Doig reinforces York City’s central-defensive core
12:00pm Thursday 2nd February 2012 in News
By Dave Flett, Sports reporter
NEW centre-back Chris Doig’s experience will improve York City’s squad between now and the end of the season, according to manager Gary Mills.
Free agent Doig, 30, is due to finalise his move to Bootham Crescent today after leaving League Two Aldershot, where he was playing on a month-to-month basis.
He will contest a defensive place with Chris Smith, Daniel Parslow, David McGurk and Jamal Fyfield and Mills believes his knowledge of the game could prove invaluable.
The 6ft 2in Scotsman spent eight years with Nottingham Forest after leaving Queen of the South.
He made his professional debut in this country, aged 17, in the Premier League at Old Trafford during a 3-0 defeat against Manchester United.
Former England internationals Steve Stone and Dave Beasant were among his team-mates that day and Doig become a regular in the Championship for Forest, where he played 93 games, scoring one goal.
The Dumfries-born defender, above, who was capped 13 times by his country at under-21 level, left the City Ground in 2005 for Northampton, where he was made the Cobblers’ club captain.
More recently, he has plied his trade in Indonesia and Australia, where he shared a dressing room with ex-City striker Daniel McBreen at Central Coast Mariners.
But he returned to England last summer, spending pre-season with Wycombe Wanderers before joining Aldershot, where the Hampshire club did not concede a goal during his one-and-a-half games on the pitch either side of New Year’s Day.
Having left Aldershot, Doig’s former club Northampton were interested in securing his services again but Mills moved swiftly to recruit a player he had targeted earlier this season.
The City boss said: “He’s an experienced, left-sided centre-half who’s a good organiser. He’s a good player who was available and I tried to get him a couple of months ago before he went to Aldershot so, when the opportunity came to bring him in again, I jumped in.
“He was on trial with Northampton this week but I made him an offer and he’s decided to come. I’ve known about him for a long time as he was at Forest for a lot of years and he’s another good signing.
“I believe I’ve made three good signings in Chris, Ben Swallow and Erik Tonne and they have to prove that now.”
Mills also pointed out that Andre Boucaud’s £25,000 move to Luton, which represented a £5,000 profit on the fee the Minstermen paid Kettering for the Trinidad & Tobago international, enabled him to make this week’s triple transfer swoop and might yet result in another addition.
He said: “The decision to sell Andre has enabled me to make these three signings and there might be another one to come. I was willing to let him go to Fleetwood and, when Luton showed an interest, I thought it was the right thing to do to sell him and I have to do what I feel is right for this football club.”
Comments(29)
walwynwasgod
says...
12:45pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Do you mean the same Parslow who was Player of the Year ? Get a grip, the guy always gives 100%. Individual errors have cost us this year, and a lot of the errors have come from the right back position. This is no dig at anyone who has played in that position this season, as our full backs have been a feature of our attacking play. Now get behind the team, we're all in it together.
YorkCityLuke
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12:53pm Thu 2 Feb 12
YorkCityLuke
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12:58pm Thu 2 Feb 12
KAT1965
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1:16pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Fergie
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1:28pm Thu 2 Feb 12
tips
says...
2:37pm Thu 2 Feb 12
It's used all the time but it really is one game at a time but I believe we have a squad able to achieve our aims.
Let us as supporters give the players every encouragement and get behind them 100%
Come on City !!!!
redwhiteblue
says...
3:25pm Thu 2 Feb 12
I am a Danny supported - remember how he paid out of position at right back - he was just pleased to be playing - not once have you heard him complain. I think he's a perfect professional an asset to the club.
OLD - HEAD
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3:27pm Thu 2 Feb 12
yorkiemike
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3:39pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Sure he`s made mistakes but what player in the team hasn`t?In my book you can`t put a price on loyalty like he`s shown.In this day and age with players having Agents they up sticks and go if they throw the dummy out of the pram!
Well done DP keep fighting for your place.
giggs08
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3:51pm Thu 2 Feb 12
duffy
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3:53pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Fergie wrote:Agreed.
Our best centre half without question is Mcgurk and alongside Doig should make us much more solid. Parslow has been a loyal servant to york city but if we have any aspirations of getting out of this league then it must improve at the back. Like the fact hes 6ft 2 aswell as we have been weak on corners too. Feeling very optimistic for the rest of the season now.
YorkCity4Life
says...
4:07pm Thu 2 Feb 12
IMO strongest team would be..
Ingham
Oyebanjo McGurk Smith Meredith
Blair Kerr McLaughlin Chambers
Reed Walker
Bench:Moke, Doig, Pilkington, Blinkhorn and Tonne.
TheonlywayisCity
says...
4:34pm Thu 2 Feb 12
PDH
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6:53pm Thu 2 Feb 12
As has been stated the very top players on top money make mistakes.
Imagine then how much a player would be worth and how much he would earning if he never made a mistake? Probably even more than city could afford to pay?? And I mean Manchester.
Obviously though some of us NEVER make a mistake and are perfect.
selbyred
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6:59pm Thu 2 Feb 12
paddymacwakey
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7:57pm Thu 2 Feb 12
duffy
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8:16pm Thu 2 Feb 12
redwhiteblue wrote:To be fair although I actually don't think he is that good a centre half given his hight you can't argue that he has been a model professional both on and off the field for city and he deserves praise for that. He would actually do well to leave us and nail down a place for another conference team. Don't think he is ever going to do that with us now.
Danny Parslow has been very professional in his approach and attitude over the last four seasons. His performances have been outstanding in many games, but individuals only remember the few mistakes - the outstanding performances well out number the odd mistake - do these individuals know of central defenders that don't make mistakes - especially at our level - even Man U, Chelsea and Man City defenders make very costly mistakes and each of them are paid more a month than our 'annual playing budget'.
I am a Danny supported - remember how he paid out of position at right back - he was just pleased to be playing - not once have you heard him complain. I think he's a perfect professional an asset to the club.
joejamestom
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9:24pm Thu 2 Feb 12
My hope is that the additions will give us a bit more strength in depth & trend the abilities of the team to GMs way of thinking & playing, good ball players but with a bit more ability to capitalise on all those wasted set pieces I hope.
Even Smith who I have thought to be the weakest skilled footballer has finally got it & played a more passing game & got a couple from set pieces.
More competition should stop some of the inconsistent performances as I believe we now have nearly complete cover across the team.
Danny P may not be many peoples first choice at CB but he plays the ball & can move into space to draw in opposing players to help create a bit of space Fyfield also can perform in this way & tends to go further mind you a winger he isn't & no full back though Banjo has not so far lived up to his billing as Challinor seems to offer more.
Should be a good competitive game on sat but I feel Ebbsfleet will do their usual long ball to Willock so TY in for me as Matt of Kiddy didn't turn him he won his individual battle.
Interesting times to be a City Fan!
Better start than at Darlo please!
YCFC115
says...
10:19pm Thu 2 Feb 12
duffy wrote:I agree with Duffy, there is no room for sentiments in football and being professional doesn't make you a decent footballer. Unfortunately Parslow wouldn't get on my bench. TY for me and until I see Doig that would be Fyfield.
redwhiteblue wrote:To be fair although I actually don't think he is that good a centre half given his hight you can't argue that he has been a model professional both on and off the field for city and he deserves praise for that. He would actually do well to leave us and nail down a place for another conference team. Don't think he is ever going to do that with us now.
Danny Parslow has been very professional in his approach and attitude over the last four seasons. His performances have been outstanding in many games, but individuals only remember the few mistakes - the outstanding performances well out number the odd mistake - do these individuals know of central defenders that don't make mistakes - especially at our level - even Man U, Chelsea and Man City defenders make very costly mistakes and each of them are paid more a month than our 'annual playing budget'.
I am a Danny supported - remember how he paid out of position at right back - he was just pleased to be playing - not once have you heard him complain. I think he's a perfect professional an asset to the club.
IMO Challinor has been a revelation this season and far better than a overrated Banjo.
Its going to be an interesting run in with some in form teams looking for a play off place. Lets hope City is one of them.
ex1Yorks
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11:11pm Thu 2 Feb 12
eldewsio
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11:42pm Thu 2 Feb 12
giggs08 wrote:Beaten at home by Alfreton and Telford 1.0 against Bath City, outstanding.
I agree with sam with regards parslow,error prone and long ball merchant.I also think letting boucs go is a big mistake,the football we played the first few months of the season was outstanding and boucs and walker were the key men in that,and why have we got another 2 wingers in? Chambers and Blair are both good players and although pilkington does'nt have the pace and skill of these 2 he's a decent player who delivers a good ball. As regards Brown as a replacement for boucs all he's shown so far is that he's fat and gets sent off
Boucs 3 good games, many average and a lot totally insignificant.
Blair yes at long last, Chambers the jury is still out i believe.
Then your comments on Brown He's fat and gets sent off. Quality mate.
Have you actually watched a game at BC or as your ID suggests do you read reports in the papers on your way home from Old Trafford
kirbylad
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5:14am Fri 3 Feb 12
it must be Gary Ford
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7:41am Fri 3 Feb 12
uhtred
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9:26am Fri 3 Feb 12
Svennis
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10:20am Fri 3 Feb 12
The Legend Of Keith
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10:23am Fri 3 Feb 12
Boucs is a very good player when the weather is warm and the pitches are nice. Over the cold winter months, on a pitch that is cut up and bogged down he cannot influence the game and becomes ineffective. Luton will have a good player in Boucs for the end of season run in assuming the braindead zombies (unkind to zombies perhaps?) at Kennelworth Road haven't turned on him by then.
tips
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11:08am Fri 3 Feb 12
giggs08
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4:32pm Fri 3 Feb 12
SamYCFC says...
12:34pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Bye bye parslow. thanks for everything. Your defencive calamities will not be missed.