Source: FOOTYMAD
Purkiss couldn't reject major opportunity
York City defender Ben Purkiss has stated that the chance of playing in the Football League was too good an opportunity to resist after deciding to join promoted Oxford United. Purkiss originally signed for York following a successful loan spell from Gainsborough Trinity three years ago. He went on to make almost 150 appearances for the Minstermen, but twice turned down the offer of a new deal from manager Martin Foyle at the end of this season. The Sheffield-born right-back is understood to have also rejected advances from Chesterfield, Burton Albion and Torquay United in favour of a move to Kassam Stadium."I would like to think that anybody in the same situation would have done exactly the same because playing in the Football League was a chance I could not turn down," Purkiss told The Press. "The decision has nothing to do with wanting more money at York."It`s about wanting to play at the highest level possible," the 26-year-old continued. "I spoke to one League Two club before the play-offs started and they offered me a pre-contract agreement which I turned down because my aim was to get York City back where they belong."A couple of other League Two clubs also rang up this week but I feel Oxford are a club with massive potential and it`s the right move for me at this stage in my career."However, Purkiss also hinted than an earlier move from York could perhaps have secured his services for another season."If we had sat down earlier in the season and talked things through then maybe I would have signed a new contract and this opportunity would not have arisen," he added. "We did talk but I wasn`t in the team at the time and things were different,"
