OUT-OF-CONTRACT York City stalwart Dan Parslow has been ruled out for the rest of the season.

The 33-year-old defender has still not recovered from the concussion he suffered more than six weeks ago during the 2-1 home defeat to Hereford and has been told he can play no part in the Minstermen’s final eight games of the campaign.

Parslow is still suffering from headaches if he watches TV for longer than an hour and can only manage short journeys in his car.

The former Wales under-21 international has played 383 times for City, positioning him tenth on the club’s all-time appearances list - seven behind ninth-placed Phil Burrows.

But It is not clear whether Parslow will now get the opportunity to add to that tally, although City chief Steve Watson has stressed that he will be welcomed back for pre-season training in the summer.

Parslow’s injury came during his first start for Watson and represented a second difficult setback this term after, having been overlooked for National League North selection since the start of the campaign, he picked up a knee problem just as former manager Sam Collins was going to include him in his starting line-up back in November.

On his latest blow, the two-time Press Player of the Year said: “I’m still showing some signs of concussion, so I saw a specialist in Birmingham and it was decided that the stresses and potential for contact would represent too much of a risk to get back playing this season and that I just need to concentrate on getting healthy. That’s tough to swallow because I’m desperate to prove my worth, but it can’t be helped, and sums up my season really.

“It’s not come at a nice time, because there’s a lot of uncertainty for footballers at this time of the year and I’m sure the manager will be having a lot of conversations soon, but I just need to get fit and healthy and then move forward with whatever I’ll be doing next season.”

Parslow admitted that he didn’t expect to be sidelined for three months by the injury, explaining: “When it happened, the physio came on and asked me numerous questions and I was quite responsive so, at first, we thought I was OK, but I deteriorated very quickly and, when I was walking down the tunnel at half-time, I couldn’t stand up. I was disorientated and felt really sick.

“Initially, we thought it would take a week or two, but I’ve had really bad headaches and trouble with my vision and I’m still suffering. I couldn’t get out of a dark room for the first three weeks and I still can’t drive for longer than half-an-hour or watch TV for longer than an hour without the symptoms coming back.

“It’s been really slow and frustrating because, if you have a muscle strain or you’ve rolled an ankle, you can do your rehab and you have a finishing line. At least, I can get to the training ground now and see the lads and, hopefully, in the next few weeks, I can get back out there in a big protective bubble with nobody going near my head.”

Watson, meanwhile, confessed that Parslow’s prospects of a new deal might depend on how successful he is in recruiting his chief transfer targets over the summer.

“Taking football out of the equation, it’s been a terrible worry for Dan and his family,” the City boss declared. “When he got a chance in the team, we had a really good first half against Hereford and kept a clean sheet, but he just needs to get back to a situation where he can play competitive football, then we will take that next step with him.

“His health is the first priority. If he can’t be competitive until pre-season, then I’m happy for him to come in and see where we are from there, but I do have a plan and list of targets that I want to look at for next season.

“I know what I feel I need to get promoted but, if I get everybody I want, the door would still be open for him to train with us and get fit again.”