Pic: David Purday
DOVER ATHLETIC chairman Jim Parmenter says he turned down “substantial offers” for top scorer Ricky Miller and that he wouldn't have sold him for any less than £1million.
The former Luton, Stamford and Boston United man has scored 27 goals in the National League this season to help Dover into the top five.
His 32 goals in all competitions had got Football League clubs talking and Peterborough United were heavily linked at the start of January.
League One play-off chasers Bristol Rovers were also reportedly looking at bringing Miller in although Parmenter says the Gas never made a bid.
Other clubs did, however, but the Whites chairman says there was no way their prized asset was leaving Crabble for less than seven figures.
Parmenter told Kent Online: “I was never going to sell him. I was never going to sell any of our players. Ok, I might have done for £1m but the bids were not £1m.
“Ricky's agent was aware of the offers and aware of our stance. I said to him that if Ricky keeps playing well, scoring goals and gets us promoted then he'll have his choice of clubs in the summer and I personally believe any deal would be much better for him then than he could have had now.
“Bristol Rovers never made a verbal or written offer, I'd like to make that clear in defence of Ricky. There were other, substantial offers made for Ricky – more than one from more than one club in the Football League – but I turned them down.
“Some people will think I'm mad for doing it, but for my wife and I it's never been about the money. We are in a great place to try and get promoted to the Football League and Ricky Miller is a big part of that.”
