A GRUELLING five days by the seaside will determine whether striker Sam Parkin is prepared to abandon Chelsea's trendy King's Road and embrace the 'King's Way' at the County Ground.

The 22-year-old Stamford Bridge forward has agreed to join Town on their pre-season training camp in Southport this week and the boss is hoping the player will be persuaded to commit himself to the club for a year.

Parkin has yet to establish himself in Chelsea's first team, but having spent the best part of two years on loan to Second Division clubs, he knows exactly what will be expected of him at this level.

The Roehampton-born striker featured regularly for Northampton Town last season but netted just four times in 40 appearances for the Cobblers.

However, prior to his spell at Sixfields Stadium, he was loaned out to Millwall, Wycombe Wanderers and Oldham Athletic respectively, netting nine goals in 22 games during the course of his spells at the New Den, Adams Park and Boundary Park.

King believes Parkin is the man to gobble up the chances that Town have frittered away over the past couple of seasons.

He said: "I feel the boy has the ability and the presence to score the goals that we have been lacking. I have made no secret of the fact that I feel we have been lacking a big striker and I am hoping that Parkin will get the goals that make all the difference between being a fair side and a successful side in this division.

"The likes of Eric Sabin and Danny Invincible provide plenty of pace but they are not finishers in the same way that Parkin is.

"I need goals on a regular basis and you only need to look at the sides promoted in the last couple of years to see how crucial it is to have someone capable of banging in 15 to 20 goals."

A deal is far from done and dusted, though, as the player has offers on the table from other clubs, north and south of the border.

King said: "I am at least encouraged by the fact that he has agreed to come with us to Southport. It gives us a chance to have a look at him and vice versa. But I have learnt to take nothing for granted in this game."

King has also revealed that he is hopeful of persuading Bolton midfielder David Norris to agree a year's loan at the County Ground.

The Town boss agreed a deal with Bolton boss Sam Allardyce last week but was unwilling to reveal the player's identity until he had spoken to the 20-year-old.

King will meet the player tomorrow for talks. He said: "I tried to bring David here on loan last season but was thwarted by the transfer embargo. Again, I cannot take for granted that the boy will agree to come here. I just hope he feels that first team football in the Second Division is a better move for his career than the reserves at Bolton."

Another player who seems convinced that he may have a future with Swindon Town is Wycombe Wanderers' Paul Emblen.

The 26-year-old has told the Chairboys official website that he has been invited for a two-match trial with Town. But as King and his troops left for Southport today there was no official word as to whether Emblen, a Town triallist last season, would be given a second chance.

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