New Folkestone Invicta striker Jake Hutchinson on role coach Tom Parkinson played in his Cheriton Road move and his 2025/26 season ambitions

Tom Parkinson played his part in convincing striker Jake Hutchinson to sign for Folkestone.

Hutchinson is among the new faces at Invicta ahead of their 2025/26 Isthmian Premier season.

It was Folkestone coach Parkinson - who played alongside Hutchinson at Tonbridge - who got the wheels in motion for the switch before manager Jay Saunders got his man.

Hutchinson said: “After the season finished, Tom Parkinson dropped me a message.

“I played with him at Tonbridge Angels. He just messaged and said ‘Do you want to have a chat about it (joining Folkestone)?’.

“We had a phone call and then, about a week later, I met up with Jay. He explained how he was going to play me.

“It was really easy.”

Hutchinson arrives at Cheriton Road after leaving National League South side Enfield.

“Finishing last season, I sort of knew I would be leaving for a new club,” he said.

“To get it done early-ish in the summer, that’s quite good for me. I didn’t want to be waiting into pre-season, looking to find somewhere.

“So, it was nice to get the interest from Folkestone and get it done quite quickly.”

Hutchinson certainly made an impression when he came up against Saunders, No.2 Lloyd Blackman and Parkinson while the trio were at the Tonbridge helm in the 2024/25 season.

He netted twice in Enfield’s 3-1 victory at Longmead last December. He also came off the substitutes’ bench in a 3-1 loss in February in London.

“I’ve played against him a few times over the last few years,” he recalled. “Jay has always had the same set-up and style of play.

“He’s someone, when I have come up against him, I’ve thought ‘He’s someone I’d like to play for.’. I know a few players that played for Jay at Tonbridge last year.

“They said he was a really good manager and