The Longside Reference

Name: Gary Parkinson

D.O.B:10th January 1968

Previous clubs:  Middlesborough, Southend, Bolton, Burnley,Preston, Blackpool, Stalybridge Celtic.

Signed for Burnley: Jan 1994 £80,000

Signed by Jimmy Mullen

Burnley Debut: 29th Jan 1994 v Cambridge Utd (h)

Last Game: 3rd May 1997 v Watford (h)

Claret Stats : 162 (1) games 5 goals

The date is May 1994, the ground is the biggest for any English player, Wembley.  35000 Burnley fans give a collective gasp.  Time freezes as a ball bobbles over the top of the stranded Stockport keeper.  It takes and age but finally it finds the net, a scuffed shot is about to send Burnley to there first victory at Wembley and promotion to division one.  The scorer of one of Burnleys biggest goals is only his second for the club, instant hero status for Gary Parkinson is secured.

A North East boy Parky actually started his apprenticeship at Everton but bouts of home sickness led to this being short lived and Parky returned to his homeland and finished his apprenticeship at Middlesborough signing pro forms on his 18th birthday.  He made the breakthrough to the first team as centre back alongside Gary Pallister and was an ever present in the promotion campaign.  The following season another promotion was secured and Parky must have been thinking this football lark was easy. 

The first division proved to be more of a struggle for Middlesborough they were relegated and Parky lost his first team place.  In a search for first team football he moved on loan to Southend United and was later reunited with Bruce Rioch in a permanent move to Bolton Wanderers.  Things didn't work out at Burnden Park however and Jimmy Mullen signed Parky in January 1994 for £80,000 in an attempt to fill the gap that had been left by the departure of Ian Measham.

Parkinson was first choice for the remainder of the season culminating in that match at Wembley to secure promotion.  He remained a regular during the ultimately disappointing season in division one scoring two goals one which was to become a contender for goal of the season at Grimsby whilst providing cover in the unfamiliar left back role.

His final season at the club saw Parkinson face competition for his right back berth from new signing Gerry Harrison and he signed for Local Rivals Preston North End in the summer of 1997 for £50,000. After a brief spell at Blackpool Parkinson is currently playing for Stalybridge Celtic.

He was only at Burnley for a short period of time, he only scored 5 goals but Parkinson will be forever a Burnley hero, he scored the winner at Wembley.