Wimbledon goalkeeper Brian Parkin was ready to stake a claim for a new career with Colchester United today.

But the Selhurst Park deputy to the Dons Scottish international Neil Sullivan could be put under pressure from former Spurs keeper Simon Brown.

Both keepers clocked in for training at Layer Road today as the U's stepped up their quest to sign a replacement for Carl Emberson who signed a two-year deal with newly promoted Division One club Walsall two weeks ago.

"We'll be working closely with both lads all week," said U's boss Mick Wadsworth.

"With Emberson gone and my hopes of signing Queens Park Rangers' Nigerian keeper Ademola Bankole now very much on the back burner, I'm very keen to take a good look at Parkin and Brown.

"Parkin in particular has already enjoyed a good career," said Wadsworth. "He was second choice at Wimbledon last season, while Brown was third choice at Tottenham."

Birkenhead-born Parkin, 34, has bags of Football League experience. The former Oldham, Crewe, Crystal Palace and Wycombe keeper already has around 300 League games under his belt, including a handful of appearances for Palace back in 1989.

Parkin was part of the deal that took current England international Nigel Martyn from Bristol Rovers to Palace as Britain's first £1million keeper in November of the same year.

Chelmsford-born Brown, 22, another six-footer like Parkin, joined Spurs as an apprentice four years ago, but was released at the end of last season.

He played his one and only League match while on loan to Lincoln City 18 months ago, but was immediately recalled as cover after Ian Walker was injured.

Meanwhile, striker Mark Sale, who spent the last three months of last season on loan to Plymouth Argyle, reported back at Layer Road for pre-season training today following the birth of his 7lb baby daughter Jessie Alice in the Midlands on Saturday.

The U's will play Watford at Southend's Roots Hall on Saturday, July 24, kick off 1pm, as part of a four-team pre-season tournament.

Southend will play Peterborough at 3.30pm the same day with the two losers and two winners meeting at 1pm and 3.30pm respectively the following day.

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