For any one that wishes to no as its quite a common problem but it doesnt say this anywhere on the internet, there are 2 designs of gear linkage, the one on my 2002 ST170 used a rubber bush design to clip on to the gearbox which after time as with any bush the rubber perishes whereas the replacement I got I can only assume was off a newer ST170 which has a plastic design with a push button to clip on/off and seems a hell of alot better.

So if any of you ever have this issue then know that there is a revised linkage worth changing to.