Parkes Sacked By Hughes !

[Quack]

A sad end for TP - if he did find out via The Sun then that reflects very poorly on Hughes and the club - if the club's performances do not improve then this decision may come to hawnt Sparky.

[rover6]

There is no doubt in my mind that Parkes was retained recently on sentimental grounds. To an extent, I can understand why, he was blessed with the link to the Jack Walker halcyon days - not to mention his time as a player, which made it difficult for Souness or John Williams to remove him.

And he has served the club to the best of his ability and provided a comforting and unwavering fall back whenever we found ourselves manager-less.

However, Hughes decision makes sense because Parkes has proven he was not manager material and his coaching abilities are not feted by many.

Rather than taper out of sight and the Rovers fans conscience as a reserve team manager, its best that he goes now and allows a younger man to come in and make an impact.

[Blueboy Downunder]

i don't believe that the decision was made purely because there was not a role for tp at ewood park. apart from bringing in glyn hidges there has to be more to it than that.....what i don't know, but hope that tp has left amicably

[CAPT KAYOS]

Discerning none the least though if it he did learn about via the rags.

Personally, I feel it was about time - but could be interesting to learn what sort of reaction this has with the the fans - a loyal servant to the club that many a fan have known and met and has always stood in at the dark times and steadied the club.

Could a position not have been found for him?- maybe a fan/club co-ordinator (especially with the way the fan/club relationship is at the moment) him knowing the ins and outs behind the doors of EP etc and a trusted man at that.

mmmmm....

[modes98]

Sad Sad day, can't believe tony is gone.

What is the point in getting rid of him?

Hope the board look to give hima non team involved role that he can do til there is a decent place for him. The club cannot afford to turn its back on the people that support it and along with us tony is one of them!

[Dan Furness]

Goodbye Tony, you will be sorely missed Mr. Reliable.

Blackburn Rovers will be poorer without you.

Sacking a man after 30 years wonderful service is nothing short of disgraceful.

Shame on you Mark Hughes! This, in my opinion, is a thinly diguised attempt to make you more difficult to sack. At least Souness did not stoop to these depths.

shame on him for making a difficult decision? for wanting to run the club his way?

dont talk out your arse.

as repeated in posts further up, keeping him on simply because he is Tony Parkes is not the way to go.

About time we had a change

A typical response from you Dan. When it comes to principles you always show that you have none.

You always talk through your arse with the inevitable effect in what comes out.

Incidentally Speeedie my comment about Hughes being harder to sack is perfectly valid no matter what weasle words you may say about it.

There is always a place for a man with 35 years of experience and loyalty. This is a sad day for the integrity of Blackburn Rovers and their manager.

The word cronyism comes to mind.

nice to see rover6 agreed, hes been kept on because of his past, rather than him actually improving us as a team

and Al, kiss my

[mattyboy6000]

It's a pity that your chief executive is not leaving with you. I note that he did not even have the decency to tell you of your dismissal before the story appeared in the papers.

here, here!

as i've mentioned before, the truth will out about our current administration!!

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Thank you Tony for everything you've done for the club.

It feels like a death to the club. I am totally shocked by this.

I wish him luck with everything he decides to do in the future.

Good luck Tony.

Just read this from a news article and I 100% agree!

Parkes never hankered after the limelight or moaned about players or their wages. He was a football man through and through, still in love with the game after all that time and 100% dedicated to Blackburn.

Time moves on of course but football fans by necessity sometimes want to live in the past and feel that their club is fully protective of it’s heroes.

Although it is dead right that Parkes would not want to be fobbed off with some meaningless new role, the least he deserves is a properly organised testimonial against big opposition and the chance to take the applause of the fans at Ewood Park one last time.

Full article

Edited November 12, 2004 by Tim Southampton Rover

[Exiled in Salford]

A very sad day indeed. The club is indebted to him for so many things. The last link to the glory days of the 90's is no more.

Rovers must move on, but the way they acted in sacking him is nothing short of a disgrace. Parkes was Mr. Blackburn and its truely difficult to come to terms with the fact he won't be around anymore. He deserves a statue too, or at least one of the stands named after him.

I have, I thing we all have fond memories of the times (cant believe its 6) when TP stepped into the breach and came to Rovers aid.

My fondest is the FA cup tie away at Liverpool in 2000 following Kidd's departure. The Rovers fans drowned out 'you'l never walk alone' with that chant 'Tony Parkes Blue and White Army' and the worst team ive ever seen at Rovers went on to win. That was the TP touch.

Our loss is someone elses gain.

A very big thankyou to a true Blackburn legend!!!!!!!

[Linny8]

Thanks for everything Tony.

TONY PARKES' BLUE N WHITE ARMY!!

[Lancashirelass]

I am in absolute shock about this one. Who would have believed it Tony Parkes sacked by the club. He has been a loyal member of staff and has seen us through some of the most difficult times in our history.

He has always been their as long as I have supported them both as a player and part of the managerial team. Jack Walker would have been turning in his grave, as he tried to make sure that there was always a job for Tony at Ewood and told a few managers in his time they had to give him a job.

Thanks for everything Tony and your loyalty to the club. I am disgusted with the Club that it was leaked to the press before Parkes was told. Rovers what is going wrong with your people management. It was unfair that Gary Flitcroft had to learn he had lost his captaincy via the radio, but this sucks. Get your priorities right - what is right for your staff or when we can sell a story on the back pages.

I wish him every success in the future and very sorry to see him go. Hughes you have lost the plot. See we are linked to a member of the Welsh team, as a replacement. Job for the boys!!!!!! With the pending appointment of the new Wales manager, it stinks.

[speeeeeeedie]

Incidentally Speeedie my comment about Hughes being harder to sack is perfectly valid no matter what weasle words you may say about it.

There is always a place for a man with 35 years of experience and loyalty. This is a sad day for the integrity of Blackburn Rovers and their manager.

The word cronyism comes to mind.

Al, Blackburn Rovers need to move forward. We've got a new manager, coach, and now a reserve team coach. Hughes is the boss and has proven it. He wanted fresh ideas, his own men and the way he feels he can do it is without Parkes. He wanted to keep him accoriding to the LET but nothing sutiable was available. I liked Tony Parkes, met him personally, saw him coach, was definitely a players coach, that's why he lasted so long. 30+ years service deserves something, he will get it, a nice retirement package safe in the knowledge that he'll never have to work again if he doesn't want to. That his how any company rewards long standing employees when they leave.

The story was leaked, it doesn't look good, but that is not the point, the tabloid press have done far worse in far graver situations. They have to sell papers and don't care whose palms they have to grease to get their story out before anyone else.

The validity of Hughes somehow being harder to sack because he gets rid of Tony Parkes escapes me. Why? If Hughes does a bad job the board will get rid. They won't sit around thinking " Oh, we can't sack him, we don't have a decent caretaker." Tripe.

These aren't "weasle" comments, they are trying to show my frustration at Rovers fans who constantly look on the bad side of any decision the club makes. Stubbornness and the refusal to look forward won't help anyone, let alone BRFC.

[greggyk]

Message for John here!

Are you actually for or against the sacking of TP because your posts seem to suggest you keep on changing which side you are on.

1st you say its time to move on, next its a disgrace now its I see Mark Hughes point

Edited November 12, 2004 by greggyk

[RoyRover]

Very sad news, the guy is a legend at Blackburn and I think that he should have been kept on at some level. But Hughes is the manager and I respect his decision if it is the best thing for the club.

[UbuRoi]

I hope there's an proper tribute/testimonial to him - he deserves huge thanks. However, if there isn't an appropriate or meaningful job for him at the club then it'd be an insult to him to keep him on. (I guess there's a few contributors on here who wont see a problem drawing a wage for nowt). He'll get fixed up coaching somewhere soon. No doubt about that.

btw whoever let the press know in advance should be out the door immediately. Abysmal performance by the club.

[John]

I can undertstand why Hughes is doing it. It is not about which side I am on, if its in the best interests of the club I will back it.

Along with others the way it has come out and been handled is appalling for Tony. It is a disgrace in the way he has been treated not a disgrace that Hughes has sacked him.

I can see what Hughes is trying to do and all I have been doing here is saying why he has done it- if you look at one of my previous posts I pretty much predicted the reasons why he has gone before they were made public.

Edited November 12, 2004 by John

[Ninjathunder]

if there isn't an appropriate or meaningful job for him at the club then it'd be an insult to him to keep him on.

I was about to post the same sentiments. I'm sure Tony would still want to be involved in some coaching capacity. Plus remember that he'll get a nice pay off from the club - personally I'd love to retire in my mid 50s!

Aside from the inexcusable way in which the news was broken to Parkes, the most shocking thing I find about this story how some posters have forgotten/failed to grasp that there's only one certainty in football - whether it's playing or managing - someday you will be shown the door.

Now the club MUST arrange a testimonial.

[S15]

As much as I appreciated what Parkes has done, I've never actually known his role.

He should have one of those red phones in his house ala Adam West Batman days for everytime we need a caretaker manager.

[Guest blueconquest]

I've supported Rovers for 40+years and seen Tony play many times. A stalwart as both a player and a member of the backroom staff. His knowledge of the Rovers set-up is both second-to-none and irreplaceable!

TONY SHOULD HAVE BEEN OFFERED ANOTHER POSITION WITH THE CLUB!

NO WAY! HE SHOULD HAVE LEARNT OF HIS DISMISSAL THRU THE MEDIA - ITS THE LAST THING HE DESERVES!

J.W. PLEASE EXPLAIN HOW THIS OCCURRED!

NAME THE MOLE WHO IS UNDERMINING THE ITEGRITY OF THE CLUB!

[Scotty]

Tony Parkes has been a fantastic servant for Blackburn Rovers and I'd like to thank him for all his efforts. Time and time again he stepped in to manage the club when managers had been sacked, and on almost every occasion he achieved stability within the team and got us the results we needed. A one club man in the days when they simply just don't exist anymore.

I sincerely hope the club organise something to allow the fans show their appreciation of Parkes.

After saying all that, I can't help admiring Hughes for making such a tough decision. It shows he has a ruthless, cold streak and that he's single-minded about improving Blackburn Rovers Football Club. A new manager must have his own team around him who he trusts and has faith in. If Hughes wants someone else to join the coaching staff then so be it, it's the manager who will stand or fall by his decisions.

Finally, whoever leaked this information to the press is a disgrace and clearly doesn't have the best interests of the club, the manager, or Parkes at heart. They need to be weeded out asap as far too many stories about the Rovers seem to be getting leaked to the press recently.

[Tim F]

Tony Parkes was the epitome of loyalty to the Club. I hope the person who leaked his departure to the press is disciplined by the Club.

Thanks Tony for the years of service and all the best with whatever comes next.

[frosty]

Sad news

Why did whoever sacked him sack him?

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Official Site Announcement

Well it looks as if Parkes found out from the press.

Looking at Hughes comments, its very poor organisation.

If the club treat loyal staff like this, what chance is there for the supporters.

Looks as if the infamous 'Ewood mole' has struck again...would love to clout it one over its head with a spade!

[MCMC1875]

Goodbye Tony, you will be sorely missed Mr. Reliable.

Blackburn Rovers will be poorer without you.

Sacking a man after 30 years wonderful service is nothing short of disgraceful.

Shame on you Mark Hughes! This, in my opinion, is a thinly diguised attempt to make you more difficult to sack. At least Souness did not stoop to these depths.

shame on him for making a difficult decision? for wanting to run the club his way?

dont talk out your arse.

as repeated in posts further up, keeping him on simply because he is Tony Parkes is not the way to go.

About time we had a change

A typical response from you Dan. When it comes to principles you always show that you have none.

You always talk through your arse with the inevitable effect in what comes out.

Incidentally Speeedie my comment about Hughes being harder to sack is perfectly valid no matter what weasle words you may say about it.

There is always a place for a man with 35 years of experience and loyalty.

Why???????????

Ewood Parkes has been a magnificent servant for this club, but this is not some amateur association.

Just a pity that the sme can not be done with the Board to deal with the likes of Coar, Lee, Stanners et al - leftovers from the late great Bill Fox days and hardly major shareholders.

Tony has done very well out of the club and will be well looked after severence wise. I doubt he will need to work again, although there is a full time role filling in as caretaker for Premier League managerial merry-go-round.

Can't understand why he was overlooked for the BBE Lower bar though?

Thank you and good luck Mr Parkes.

[John]

Just saw an interview with Parkes- he looks very sad, shellshocked and angry about the fact he read it in a newspaper. He said its just not Blackburn Rovers and he thought they could never act like this.

Says he will try to stay in the game and he has no axe to grind with anyone at the club.