Instant-Dict stun striker McParland
INSTANT-DICT have released their leading scorer, Ian McParland . . . sparking a race for his signature between champions Eastern and Sing Tao.
McParland, who has scored 18 goals in his first full season for Instant, was offered a new contract last month but has now been told his services are no longer required.
The 32-year-old Scottish striker from Edinburgh was left stunned by the club's about-turn.
He son.
''I thought everything was organised for next season but now I want to get myself sorted out with a decent club as quickly as possible,'' McParland said.
Although he was handed a contract and asked to sign it, McParland never returned it to the club.
Team manager Ben Choi and coach Koo Luam-khen informed McParland of the club's decision, which is believed to have come from the top - president Thomas Tam.
Tam is known to have been angry about a recent training ground dispute between McParland and his co-striker, Graham Harvey.
And McParland felt that incident, which he dismissed as a ''wee misunderstanding which was over very quickly'', may have swayed Tam.
McParland had received a warning letter earlier in the season after an incident with teammate Cheung Chi-tak and had a request to leave Instant in mid-season turned down after an offer from English club Northampton Town.
Formerly with Notts County, Hull City, Walsall and Dunfermline Athletic, McParland joined Instant from Northampton Town 14 months ago and scored four times last season.
This time he has helped Instant clinch runners-up spot in the First Division and also reach the final of the Challenge Shield and Viceroy Cup.
Champions Eastern, fearing injured striker Paul Nixon may not regain fitness, have already shown an interest in McParland, who would be an ideal partner for leading scorer Dale Tempest.
Sing Tao skipper and centre forward John Moore has also alerted his club management to McParland's availablity.
Tempest leads the scoring chart with 21 goals, followed by McParland on 18 and Harvey on 17.
As well as scoring 18 goals, McParland has created the majority of Harvey's 17 in a highly productive partnership.
Instant offered new deals to all five of their foreign players - McParland, Harvey, central defender Roddy Manley and midfield duo Steve Berry and Sean Edwards.
Manley has attracted an offer from Scottish club Dundee and will decide his future before the weekend.
aid last night: ''I'm still a bit gutted because I have scored 18 goals, made a load more and missed only one game through suspensi
