Colchester United manager Phil Parkinson has denied offering former Town striker Alun Armstrong a deal at Layer Road. Yesterday, Darlington boss David Hodgson said his player was leaving the North-East and would almost certainly sign for the U's.

But this was news to Parkinson: "Alun was a player we were looking at earlier in the season when we needed an experienced striker.

"However, we've got Marino Keith on the books now and I have made no approach for Alun in the past few days."

Armstrong still seems certain to leave Darlington to sign for a club nearer to his Suffolk home.

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