Parkes life and time at Ewood

7:50am Monday 18th June 2012 in Football Photograph of the Author By Andy Cryer, Blackburn Rovers reporter

AS Tim Sherwood lifted the Premier League trophy at Anfield, ‘Mr Blackburn Rovers’ Tony Parkes could not help but feel he was in a fairytale.

The man who spent more than 30 years at Ewood, enjoying 392 appearances as a player, six stints as caretaker manager and spells as assistant manager and on the coaching staff, had seen the club transformed.

Now, more than a decade on, he reflects on Rovers’ drop into the Championship from afar and fears the end of a ‘golden era’ in the club’s history – but insists the memories will never be taken away.

Promotion into the Premier League, a Worthington Cup final win and some incredible personal memories will always be fondly remembered by Parkes – but none of them will top that afternoon at Anfield in May 1995, when Rovers were crowned Premier League champions.

He said: “I remember the day as though it was yesterday. It was a fantastic ending to the season. We were behind, we were in front.

“The fans didn’t know when Redknapp scored that free kick that we were okay, the fans thought we had lost the Championship.

“The Manchester United game had finished at Upton Park, they battered them but only drew. Kenny Dalglish got out of the dug out and him and Ray Harford were dancing on the side of the pitch and the game was still going on.

“It was like a fairytale. Jack’s era was a fairytale. You had to pinch yourselves sometimes and ask is this the same club.

“We have had some good times. We have always been an up and down club. The first season I came in the 1970s we got relegated. Then three years later we came back.

“The club has been badly run now. Alright you might not have liked Sam’s football but do you like Blackburn’s football now they have been relegated?”

Parkes had been through darker days during his Rovers career, suffering relegation in the 1970s and play-off defeats.

It was all a far cry from that day when Rovers were crowned England’s champions and Parkes no one was going to ruin it – no matter how hard they tried.

“We got into the Premier League and for three seasons we finished fourth, second and then we won it. We were pushing Manchester United all the time,” he said.

“When we actually won the Premier League, people were saying we bought the Championship but Im not accepting that – any more than any other team buys success.

“They were jealous. There was a lot of jealousy around because we were a small town club and small town clubs are not supposed to win the Premier League.

“People started to say we were a long ball team and knocked us for that. Fine, we were a long ball if that means getting crosses in to Alan Shearer. Who wouldn’t do that?

“If long balls were getting crosses in for Shearer to score then we were a long ball team. There was jealousy from within the game and it didn’t go down very well with us.

“We got on with it and we had a great day ay Liverpool. It was a fantastic day.”

Comments (14)

8:01am Mon 18 Jun 12

Coeur de Lion says...

The dingles have been jealous ever since, I'm sure they will put a lot of abusive messages on here but that is just proving the point.
The dingles have been jealous ever since, I'm sure they will put a lot of abusive messages on here but that is just proving the point. Coeur de Lion

8:24am Mon 18 Jun 12

Harwoodstblue says...

Coeur de Lion wrote:
The dingles have been jealous ever since, I'm sure they will put a lot of abusive messages on here but that is just proving the point.
Correct, We've won it and they never will and they know it. And that's the the reason for all the bitter and twisted dingles. What's it called? Oh yes, Jealousy.
[quote][p][bold]Coeur de Lion[/bold] wrote: The dingles have been jealous ever since, I'm sure they will put a lot of abusive messages on here but that is just proving the point.[/p][/quote]Correct, We've won it and they never will and they know it. And that's the the reason for all the bitter and twisted dingles. What's it called? Oh yes, Jealousy. Harwoodstblue

11:26am Mon 18 Jun 12

jackflash257 says...

Tony Parkes please come back
Tony Parkes please come back jackflash257

1:35pm Mon 18 Jun 12

madari says...

Harwoodstblue wrote:
Coeur de Lion wrote: The dingles have been jealous ever since, I'm sure they will put a lot of abusive messages on here but that is just proving the point.
Correct, We've won it and they never will and they know it. And that's the the reason for all the bitter and twisted dingles. What's it called? Oh yes, Jealousy.
Madari the snake charmer says:

Another diluded plonker `....we`ve won it and they never will....`Dont you mean it was bought `it`by fat Walker for all the scruffs who still think that they wil be seeing the likes of Mna U, Arsenal ...at Bollywood........Hah
ahahahaha!!!!
[quote][p][bold]Harwoodstblue[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Coeur de Lion[/bold] wrote: The dingles have been jealous ever since, I'm sure they will put a lot of abusive messages on here but that is just proving the point.[/p][/quote]Correct, We've won it and they never will and they know it. And that's the the reason for all the bitter and twisted dingles. What's it called? Oh yes, Jealousy.[/p][/quote]Madari the snake charmer says: Another diluded plonker `....we`ve won it and they never will....`Dont you mean it was bought `it`by fat Walker for all the scruffs who still think that they wil be seeing the likes of Mna U, Arsenal ...at Bollywood........Hah ahahahaha!!!! madari

2:15pm Mon 18 Jun 12

MxMave says...

madari wrote:
Harwoodstblue wrote:
Coeur de Lion wrote: The dingles have been jealous ever since, I'm sure they will put a lot of abusive messages on here but that is just proving the point.
Correct, We've won it and they never will and they know it. And that's the the reason for all the bitter and twisted dingles. What's it called? Oh yes, Jealousy.
Madari the snake charmer says:

Another diluded plonker `....we`ve won it and they never will....`Dont you mean it was bought `it`by fat Walker for all the scruffs who still think that they wil be seeing the likes of Mna U, Arsenal ...at Bollywood........Hah

ahahahaha!!!!
Which team didn't buy it?
Yeah, exactly.
[quote][p][bold]madari[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Harwoodstblue[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Coeur de Lion[/bold] wrote: The dingles have been jealous ever since, I'm sure they will put a lot of abusive messages on here but that is just proving the point.[/p][/quote]Correct, We've won it and they never will and they know it. And that's the the reason for all the bitter and twisted dingles. What's it called? Oh yes, Jealousy.[/p][/quote]Madari the snake charmer says: Another diluded plonker `....we`ve won it and they never will....`Dont you mean it was bought `it`by fat Walker for all the scruffs who still think that they wil be seeing the likes of Mna U, Arsenal ...at Bollywood........Hah ahahahaha!!!![/p][/quote]Which team didn't buy it? Yeah, exactly. MxMave

2:39pm Mon 18 Jun 12

Coeur de Lion says...

madari wrote:
Harwoodstblue wrote:
Coeur de Lion wrote: The dingles have been jealous ever since, I'm sure they will put a lot of abusive messages on here but that is just proving the point.
Correct, We've won it and they never will and they know it. And that's the the reason for all the bitter and twisted dingles. What's it called? Oh yes, Jealousy.
Madari the snake charmer says:

Another diluded plonker `....we`ve won it and they never will....`Dont you mean it was bought `it`by fat Walker for all the scruffs who still think that they wil be seeing the likes of Mna U, Arsenal ...at Bollywood........Hah

ahahahaha!!!!
Point made!
[quote][p][bold]madari[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Harwoodstblue[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Coeur de Lion[/bold] wrote: The dingles have been jealous ever since, I'm sure they will put a lot of abusive messages on here but that is just proving the point.[/p][/quote]Correct, We've won it and they never will and they know it. And that's the the reason for all the bitter and twisted dingles. What's it called? Oh yes, Jealousy.[/p][/quote]Madari the snake charmer says: Another diluded plonker `....we`ve won it and they never will....`Dont you mean it was bought `it`by fat Walker for all the scruffs who still think that they wil be seeing the likes of Mna U, Arsenal ...at Bollywood........Hah ahahahaha!!!![/p][/quote]Point made! Coeur de Lion

2:46pm Mon 18 Jun 12

Hippocroccapig says...

Coeur de Lion wrote:
madari wrote:
Harwoodstblue wrote:
Coeur de Lion wrote: The dingles have been jealous ever since, I'm sure they will put a lot of abusive messages on here but that is just proving the point.
Correct, We've won it and they never will and they know it. And that's the the reason for all the bitter and twisted dingles. What's it called? Oh yes, Jealousy.
Madari the snake charmer says:

Another diluded plonker `....we`ve won it and they never will....`Dont you mean it was bought `it`by fat Walker for all the scruffs who still think that they wil be seeing the likes of Mna U, Arsenal ...at Bollywood........Hah


ahahahaha!!!!
Point made!
No disgusting racist posts today Lion? like on the poverty thread?
Notice when people criticised your 'contribution' and started to give you grief for the racist drivel that it was, you skulked off with your tail between your legs and didn't post again on that thread.

Lion? pfftttt, **** more like
[quote][p][bold]Coeur de Lion[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]madari[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Harwoodstblue[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Coeur de Lion[/bold] wrote: The dingles have been jealous ever since, I'm sure they will put a lot of abusive messages on here but that is just proving the point.[/p][/quote]Correct, We've won it and they never will and they know it. And that's the the reason for all the bitter and twisted dingles. What's it called? Oh yes, Jealousy.[/p][/quote]Madari the snake charmer says: Another diluded plonker `....we`ve won it and they never will....`Dont you mean it was bought `it`by fat Walker for all the scruffs who still think that they wil be seeing the likes of Mna U, Arsenal ...at Bollywood........Hah ahahahaha!!!![/p][/quote]Point made![/p][/quote]No disgusting racist posts today Lion? like on the poverty thread? Notice when people criticised your 'contribution' and started to give you grief for the racist drivel that it was, you skulked off with your tail between your legs and didn't post again on that thread. Lion? pfftttt, **** more like Hippocroccapig

5:25pm Mon 18 Jun 12

god Im bored says...

Salgado speaks out;

http://www1.skysport
s.com/football/news/
12040/7823605/Salgad
o-speaks-out
Salgado speaks out; http://www1.skysport s.com/football/news/ 12040/7823605/Salgad o-speaks-out god Im bored

5:31pm Mon 18 Jun 12

rovers11-12 says...

Who keeps digging Tony Parkes up

We have heard enough from him and his tales from the past.

Remember when Hughesy got him sacked and all those fans were in tears and said they would never go down Ewood again. Oh dear that could never happen under Saint John Williams.

Parks was only kept on because he was Jack's eyes and ears in the club his little snitch.
Who keeps digging Tony Parkes up We have heard enough from him and his tales from the past. Remember when Hughesy got him sacked and all those fans were in tears and said they would never go down Ewood again. Oh dear that could never happen under Saint John Williams. Parks was only kept on because he was Jack's eyes and ears in the club his little snitch. rovers11-12

9:01pm Mon 18 Jun 12

BRFC The Peoples Champion says...

Hippocroccapig wrote:
Coeur de Lion wrote:
madari wrote:
Harwoodstblue wrote:
Coeur de Lion wrote: The dingles have been jealous ever since, I'm sure they will put a lot of abusive messages on here but that is just proving the point.
Correct, We've won it and they never will and they know it. And that's the the reason for all the bitter and twisted dingles. What's it called? Oh yes, Jealousy.
Madari the snake charmer says:

Another diluded plonker `....we`ve won it and they never will....`Dont you mean it was bought `it`by fat Walker for all the scruffs who still think that they wil be seeing the likes of Mna U, Arsenal ...at Bollywood........Hah



ahahahaha!!!!
Point made!
No disgusting racist posts today Lion? like on the poverty thread?
Notice when people criticised your 'contribution' and started to give you grief for the racist drivel that it was, you skulked off with your tail between your legs and didn't post again on that thread.

Lion? pfftttt, **** more like
Come on CDL don't stand for that. Show him some of your intellect and wit you are famous for. Something like...

"Why don't you go back to your own pages you dingle with 6 fingers and I bet you don't know who your father is".
[quote][p][bold]Hippocroccapig[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Coeur de Lion[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]madari[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Harwoodstblue[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Coeur de Lion[/bold] wrote: The dingles have been jealous ever since, I'm sure they will put a lot of abusive messages on here but that is just proving the point.[/p][/quote]Correct, We've won it and they never will and they know it. And that's the the reason for all the bitter and twisted dingles. What's it called? Oh yes, Jealousy.[/p][/quote]Madari the snake charmer says: Another diluded plonker `....we`ve won it and they never will....`Dont you mean it was bought `it`by fat Walker for all the scruffs who still think that they wil be seeing the likes of Mna U, Arsenal ...at Bollywood........Hah ahahahaha!!!![/p][/quote]Point made![/p][/quote]No disgusting racist posts today Lion? like on the poverty thread? Notice when people criticised your 'contribution' and started to give you grief for the racist drivel that it was, you skulked off with your tail between your legs and didn't post again on that thread. Lion? pfftttt, **** more like[/p][/quote]Come on CDL don't stand for that. Show him some of your intellect and wit you are famous for. Something like... "Why don't you go back to your own pages you dingle with 6 fingers and I bet you don't know who your father is". BRFC The Peoples Champion

6:51am Tue 19 Jun 12

Jack Herer says...

rovers11-12 wrote:
Who keeps digging Tony Parkes up

We have heard enough from him and his tales from the past.

Remember when Hughesy got him sacked and all those fans were in tears and said they would never go down Ewood again. Oh dear that could never happen under Saint John Williams.

Parks was only kept on because he was Jack's eyes and ears in the club his little snitch.
Who are you? Are you actually a Rovers fan, or are you Steve Kean or one of his shameless minions?

Comments like this, amongst other things, do make me seriously wonder.
[quote][p][bold]rovers11-12[/bold] wrote: Who keeps digging Tony Parkes up We have heard enough from him and his tales from the past. Remember when Hughesy got him sacked and all those fans were in tears and said they would never go down Ewood again. Oh dear that could never happen under Saint John Williams. Parks was only kept on because he was Jack's eyes and ears in the club his little snitch.[/p][/quote]Who are you? Are you actually a Rovers fan, or are you Steve Kean or one of his shameless minions? Comments like this, amongst other things, do make me seriously wonder. Jack Herer

8:01am Tue 19 Jun 12

Coeur de Lion says...

BRFC The Peoples Champion wrote:
Hippocroccapig wrote:
Coeur de Lion wrote:
madari wrote:
Harwoodstblue wrote:
Coeur de Lion wrote: The dingles have been jealous ever since, I'm sure they will put a lot of abusive messages on here but that is just proving the point.
Correct, We've won it and they never will and they know it. And that's the the reason for all the bitter and twisted dingles. What's it called? Oh yes, Jealousy.
Madari the snake charmer says:

Another diluded plonker `....we`ve won it and they never will....`Dont you mean it was bought `it`by fat Walker for all the scruffs who still think that they wil be seeing the likes of Mna U, Arsenal ...at Bollywood........Hah




ahahahaha!!!!
Point made!
No disgusting racist posts today Lion? like on the poverty thread?
Notice when people criticised your 'contribution' and started to give you grief for the racist drivel that it was, you skulked off with your tail between your legs and didn't post again on that thread.

Lion? pfftttt, **** more like
Come on CDL don't stand for that. Show him some of your intellect and wit you are famous for. Something like...

"Why don't you go back to your own pages you dingle with 6 fingers and I bet you don't know who your father is".
I don't need to reply to these excuses for human beings every time they leave a stupid comment, what they need to realize is that they have never experienced the highs that we have and we have never experienced the lows that they have. Every time that a rovers fan leaves a comment it is jumped on by one of these no lives which goes to prove that they can't stand the fact that we have been more successful than they will ever be. Jealousy is a terrible thing and it has been eating away at them for many years just waiting for us to have a bad patch like we are having, just remember form is temporary class is permanent.
[quote][p][bold]BRFC The Peoples Champion[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Hippocroccapig[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Coeur de Lion[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]madari[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Harwoodstblue[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Coeur de Lion[/bold] wrote: The dingles have been jealous ever since, I'm sure they will put a lot of abusive messages on here but that is just proving the point.[/p][/quote]Correct, We've won it and they never will and they know it. And that's the the reason for all the bitter and twisted dingles. What's it called? Oh yes, Jealousy.[/p][/quote]Madari the snake charmer says: Another diluded plonker `....we`ve won it and they never will....`Dont you mean it was bought `it`by fat Walker for all the scruffs who still think that they wil be seeing the likes of Mna U, Arsenal ...at Bollywood........Hah ahahahaha!!!![/p][/quote]Point made![/p][/quote]No disgusting racist posts today Lion? like on the poverty thread? Notice when people criticised your 'contribution' and started to give you grief for the racist drivel that it was, you skulked off with your tail between your legs and didn't post again on that thread. Lion? pfftttt, **** more like[/p][/quote]Come on CDL don't stand for that. Show him some of your intellect and wit you are famous for. Something like... "Why don't you go back to your own pages you dingle with 6 fingers and I bet you don't know who your father is".[/p][/quote]I don't need to reply to these excuses for human beings every time they leave a stupid comment, what they need to realize is that they have never experienced the highs that we have and we have never experienced the lows that they have. Every time that a rovers fan leaves a comment it is jumped on by one of these no lives which goes to prove that they can't stand the fact that we have been more successful than they will ever be. Jealousy is a terrible thing and it has been eating away at them for many years just waiting for us to have a bad patch like we are having, just remember form is temporary class is permanent. Coeur de Lion

8:42am Tue 19 Jun 12

ragodley1987 says...

A great servant to the club and an admiral human being. If ever you wanted a role model or an adviser (Venkys take note) then they do not come much better than Tony Parkes.

I was rummaging through some things the other day while I move house and found a video I'd recorded of one of the best Rovers games I've been to. Liverpool v Rovers in the FA Cup in 2000 when Nathan Blake of all people won it for us in the last few minutes. Think that could possibly be Tony Parkes' finest hour in his stints as caretaker manager. But if anyone can think of any other great Parkes memories would be nice to hear them?
A great servant to the club and an admiral human being. If ever you wanted a role model or an adviser (Venkys take note) then they do not come much better than Tony Parkes. I was rummaging through some things the other day while I move house and found a video I'd recorded of one of the best Rovers games I've been to. Liverpool v Rovers in the FA Cup in 2000 when Nathan Blake of all people won it for us in the last few minutes. Think that could possibly be Tony Parkes' finest hour in his stints as caretaker manager. But if anyone can think of any other great Parkes memories would be nice to hear them? ragodley1987

9:35am Tue 19 Jun 12

Hippocroccapig says...

Coeur de Lion wrote:
BRFC The Peoples Champion wrote:
Hippocroccapig wrote:
Coeur de Lion wrote:
madari wrote:
Harwoodstblue wrote:
Coeur de Lion wrote: The dingles have been jealous ever since, I'm sure they will put a lot of abusive messages on here but that is just proving the point.
Correct, We've won it and they never will and they know it. And that's the the reason for all the bitter and twisted dingles. What's it called? Oh yes, Jealousy.
Madari the snake charmer says:

Another diluded plonker `....we`ve won it and they never will....`Dont you mean it was bought `it`by fat Walker for all the scruffs who still think that they wil be seeing the likes of Mna U, Arsenal ...at Bollywood........Hah





ahahahaha!!!!
Point made!
No disgusting racist posts today Lion? like on the poverty thread?
Notice when people criticised your 'contribution' and started to give you grief for the racist drivel that it was, you skulked off with your tail between your legs and didn't post again on that thread.

Lion? pfftttt, **** more like
Come on CDL don't stand for that. Show him some of your intellect and wit you are famous for. Something like...

"Why don't you go back to your own pages you dingle with 6 fingers and I bet you don't know who your father is".
I don't need to reply to these excuses for human beings every time they leave a stupid comment, what they need to realize is that they have never experienced the highs that we have and we have never experienced the lows that they have. Every time that a rovers fan leaves a comment it is jumped on by one of these no lives which goes to prove that they can't stand the fact that we have been more successful than they will ever be. Jealousy is a terrible thing and it has been eating away at them for many years just waiting for us to have a bad patch like we are having, just remember form is temporary class is permanent.
Yadda Yadda yadda, but not comment on the racism then?

What a surprise - turns out you are actually the Cowardly Lion from Wizard of Oz.

Oh, and get ready for the lows - they are on their way.
[quote][p][bold]Coeur de Lion[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]BRFC The Peoples Champion[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Hippocroccapig[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Coeur de Lion[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]madari[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Harwoodstblue[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Coeur de Lion[/bold] wrote: The dingles have been jealous ever since, I'm sure they will put a lot of abusive messages on here but that is just proving the point.[/p][/quote]Correct, We've won it and they never will and they know it. And that's the the reason for all the bitter and twisted dingles. What's it called? Oh yes, Jealousy.[/p][/quote]Madari the snake charmer says: Another diluded plonker `....we`ve won it and they never will....`Dont you mean it was bought `it`by fat Walker for all the scruffs who still think that they wil be seeing the likes of Mna U, Arsenal ...at Bollywood........Hah ahahahaha!!!![/p][/quote]Point made![/p][/quote]No disgusting racist posts today Lion? like on the poverty thread? Notice when people criticised your 'contribution' and started to give you grief for the racist drivel that it was, you skulked off with your tail between your legs and didn't post again on that thread. Lion? pfftttt, **** more like[/p][/quote]Come on CDL don't stand for that. Show him some of your intellect and wit you are famous for. Something like... "Why don't you go back to your own pages you dingle with 6 fingers and I bet you don't know who your father is".[/p][/quote]I don't need to reply to these excuses for human beings every time they leave a stupid comment, what they need to realize is that they have never experienced the highs that we have and we have never experienced the lows that they have. Every time that a rovers fan leaves a comment it is jumped on by one of these no lives which goes to prove that they can't stand the fact that we have been more successful than they will ever be. Jealousy is a terrible thing and it has been eating away at them for many years just waiting for us to have a bad patch like we are having, just remember form is temporary class is permanent.[/p][/quote]Yadda Yadda yadda, but not comment on the racism then? What a surprise - turns out you are actually the Cowardly Lion from Wizard of Oz. Oh, and get ready for the lows - they are on their way. Hippocroccapig

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