JON Parkin’s move to York City was the right move for the player and will release money in the budget for Newport County AFC to strengthen in January, according to manager Graham Westley.

Parkin sealed a loan move to Bootham Crescent on Wednesday, which is likely to become a permanent switch in the New Year.

Westley said it was a deal that suited the veteran striker’s family commitments and would also allow him more room for new arrivals when the transfer window reopens.

“It really is as simple as Parky is 34 years of age and priorities change,” said the Exiles boss.

“I’ve loved working with Parky. He’s been injured unfortunately and I’ve not been able to see too much of him on the pitch.

“I know that the fans had taken to him and he was a player that everybody was looking forward to seeing make a contribution in a Newport shirt.

“But, as I say, at stages of people’s lives priorities change and he’s got a young son who lives in the north.

“The opportunity came up for him to move to York and it was an opportunity that for that family reason he wanted to take.

“I think there’s times in people’s lives and in their careers where you owe it to the person to support a move that’s right for him on a personal level.

“I think it would have been wrong to keep him here when that opportunity was there to be close to his young son.

“He had to travel back every weekend to see his young boy and that wasn’t ideal so it’s right in that regard.

“If he was a 20-year-old lad who we were thinking we were going to develop and sell for millions then the business side of it comes into the equation.

“But at times when people’s priorities change I think it’s really important that we support them and all my experience says don’t stand in the way of experienced players who decide that for one reason or another it’s the right time to move on because it’s never a good fit.”

Parkin was one of the club’s higher wage earners and his departure frees up some cash for Westley to play with.

“When you get to January you have the opportunity to just reshape things but you need to create some departures in order to create some room in your budget for incomings,” said the Exiles boss.

“So the bonus [of Parkin leaving] to me is exactly that.

“The door opens for new fresh blood to come in when any experienced player departs.

“One of the factors in the equation would clearly have been that.”