Tony Parkes facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Anthony Parkes | ||
| Date of birth | 5 May 1949 | ||
| Place of birth | Sheffield, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 7+1⁄2 in (1.71 m) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1969–1970 | Buxton | ||
| 1970–1982 | Blackburn Rovers | 350 | (38) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1986–1987 | Blackburn Rovers (caretaker manager) | ||
| 1991 | Blackburn Rovers (caretaker manager) | ||
| 1996–1997 | Blackburn Rovers (caretaker manager) | ||
| 1998 | Blackburn Rovers (caretaker manager) | ||
| 1999–2000 | Blackburn Rovers (caretaker manager) | ||
| 2004 | Blackburn Rovers (caretaker manager) | ||
| 2008–2009 | Blackpool (caretaker manager) | ||
|
|||
Anthony Parkes (born 5 May 1949) is an English former professional footballer. After he stopped playing, he became a coach. He was known for being a "caretaker manager" many times. This means he took charge of a team temporarily when the main manager left. Tony Parkes did this seven times in his coaching career. Six of those times were for Blackburn Rovers. He also worked as a scout for Blackburn Rovers in 2011.
Playing Career: Tony Parkes on the Field
Tony Parkes played as a midfielder. He started his football journey in 1969 with Buxton, a team outside the main professional leagues. In 1970, he moved to Blackburn Rovers. He spent the rest of his playing days there. He played in 350 league games for Rovers. He also scored 38 goals. Tony Parkes stopped playing football in 1982.
Coaching Career: From Player to Manager
After he stopped playing, Tony Parkes stayed with Blackburn Rovers. He joined their coaching team. He became an assistant manager. He was a "caretaker manager" for the club six times. This happened between 1986 and 2004. He stepped in when other managers left.
During his time at Blackburn, the club changed a lot. When he first became a caretaker manager, Blackburn Rovers was in the Second Division. They had not been in the top league for about 20 years. Five years later, the club was bought by Jack Walker. He was a rich local businessman. Blackburn Rovers became a wealthy and ambitious team. They wanted to get promoted to the new FA Premier League. They achieved this goal later that season.
By his third time as caretaker manager, Blackburn Rovers had won the Premier League title. This was their first top division title since 1914. However, their performance had dropped. Tony Parkes took charge until the end of the season. He helped the team avoid being moved down to a lower league.
He left Blackburn Rovers in November 2004. He had been with the club for 34 years. Tony Parkes then became an assistant manager for Blackpool in December 2005. He helped Blackpool get promoted to the Football League Championship in the 2006–07 season. They won a play-off final at Wembley.
In December 2008, Tony Parkes became a caretaker manager for the seventh time. This was for Blackpool. He took over when their manager, Simon Grayson, left. After his first game, a 1–1 draw, the Blackpool board said they might give him the job full-time. Blackpool finished the 2008–09 season in 16th place. Tony Parkes left Blackpool after disagreeing about his contract. He felt he deserved a better offer.
Honoring Tony Parkes
Tony Parkes has been a very important person in English football. He spent many years playing and coaching. In 2020, he faced some health challenges. To help support him and his family, a special football match was planned. The game between Blackburn Rovers and Blackpool on 9 April 2022 was dedicated to him. People also raised money to help with his care. This shows how much he is respected in the football world.
