OXFORD City have signed former Oxford United forward Josh Parker.

The 31-year-old joins in time to start tonight’s Vanarama National League South fixture at Chelmsford City.

Parker has played for several Football League clubs and made 16 appearances for the U’s in the second half of the 2012/13 season.

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The striker’s last competitive game was at the Kassam Stadium, coming on as a substitute for Burton Albion in a 4-0 defeat in May 2021.

He was unattached last season after sustaining an injury and City swooped to sign the free agent.

He said: “I’ve had a tough year out of football, getting an injury that came in between clubs.

“It’s the first time in my career I’ve had a year out, so it’s nice to get back into football at a club that’s really close-knit, very well-run and a group of players that have ambition.

“When football’s taken away from you unexpectedly it brings back that fire, because you want to be on that pitch and feel the fans.”

Parker came through the youth system at Queens Park Rangers and embarked on loan spells to AFC Wimbledon, Northampton Town and Wycombe Wanderers before joining Oldham Athletic in 2011.

He was released a year later and joined the U’s just before Christmas 2012, as injury cover for strikers Jon-Paul Pittman and Deane Smalley.

Parker left at the end of the season without scoring a goal, helping United to a ninth-place finish in League Two.

His storied career continued with spells at Slovenian side Domzale and Serbian giants Red Star Belgrade, before returning to Britain with Aberdeen in 2015.

In recent years, Parker has played for Gillingham, Charlton Athletic, Wycombe Wanderers and Burton Albion, leaving the Brewers by mutual consent last August.

The experienced front man has also played internationally for Antigua and Barbuda.