Phil Parkinson
Encyclopedia
Philip John "Phil" Parkinson (born 1 December 1967) is an English football manager
and former player who currently manages Bradford City
.
trainee, made his Football League
debut in 1988 with Bury
, and later joined Reading
for £50,000 in July 1992.
championship-winning team. He captained the team to promotion from the Second Division in 2001–02 and soon after promotion success, Parkinson celebrated his testimonial
year with a memorable night at Madejski Stadium
, where 20,000 fans watched former Reading team-mates such as Shaka Hislop
, Michael Gilkes and Jeff Hopkins take on an England XI including the likes of Paul Gascoigne
, John Barnes
and Chris Waddle
.
Although Parkinson rarely featured on the field in his final season as Reading returned to the First Division
, he remained a hugely respected member of the squad until his departure to Layer Road
.
In a vote to compile the Royals' best-ever eleven, Parkinson was voted the best central midfielder with 60.3% of the vote. Parkinson is still sung about in the terraces today (his song, "Five Parkinsons", is sung every Christmas).
. Despite showing promising signs as he steered the U's to safety upon arrival in February 2003, the 2003–04 season started poorly as Colchester slipped to three straight league defeats, only softened by a victory in the League Cup. The U's' supremo, however, continued to motivate as they surged up the table, looking like play-off contenders at one stage. They may have slipped down towards the end of the season, but a strong FA Cup
run, LDV run and a good finish left optimism for U's supporters.
The 2005–06 season saw them finish in 2nd place, thereby gaining an unlikely promotion to the Championship
– despite having the lowest average attendance of the division. However, he resigned in June 2006 with a year left to run on his contract.
in late June 2006, following the departure of Peter Taylor
. Hull agreed to pay Colchester £400,000 compensation. However, when he led Hull against his old club, he was embarrassed as his former club romped home 5–1. After another defeat in the next match at home to Southampton
4–2, he left by "mutual consent" in early December, leaving Hull in the relegation zone.
in January 2007 as assistant manager to Alan Pardew
, having previously worked together at Reading. He was close to a return to management with Huddersfield Town
in April 2007, but made a last minute decision to remain with Charlton. Parkinson later extended his contract with Charlton until 2010. Following Alan Pardew's departure in November 2008, he was appointed caretaker manager and given the job permanently on New Year's Eve 2008 despite failing to win any of his eight matches in caretaker charge. Under his management, Charlton were relegated to the third tier of English football for the first time in nearly 30 years.
In League One, Charlton started off very well winning their first six league matches, but that run was brought to an end after a 1–1 draw at home to Southampton
, Parkinson's ex manager Alan Pardew
's side. Charlton continued to do well and were in the top two until the new year where Norwich overtook them and they then never returned to the top two, finishing fourth in the league. In the play-offs, they had to play Swindon Town
over the two legs and lost the first one 2–1 at the County Ground. But in the second they turned it around and led 2–0 but Swindon fought back and it finished 3–3 on aggregate. Swindon then continued and won on penalties 5–4 to condemn Parkinson and his men to another season in League One. But having not won a league game since November, Parkinson was sacked on 4 January 2011, the day after his side's 4–2 loss at home to Swindon Town.
on 28 August 2011.
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
and former player who currently manages Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
.
Playing career
Parkinson, a former SouthamptonSouthampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
trainee, made his Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
debut in 1988 with Bury
Bury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
, and later joined Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
for £50,000 in July 1992.
Reading
A fearsome tackler who always led by example, he was named player of the season two years in a row (1997–98 and 1998–99) and was also a key member of the 1993–94 Football League Second DivisionFootball League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
championship-winning team. He captained the team to promotion from the Second Division in 2001–02 and soon after promotion success, Parkinson celebrated his testimonial
Testimonial match
A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
year with a memorable night at Madejski Stadium
Madejski Stadium
The Madejski Stadium is a stadium in Reading, Berkshire, England. The stadium is the home of Reading Football Club and to the rugby union club London Irish as tenants. It also provides the finish for the Reading Half Marathon...
, where 20,000 fans watched former Reading team-mates such as Shaka Hislop
Shaka Hislop
Neil Shaka Hislop, CM is a former professional football goalkeeper. The majority of his career was spent in the top division in England where he was a part of the Newcastle United team which finished second in the Premier League for two successive seasons under Kevin Keegan's first tenure...
, Michael Gilkes and Jeff Hopkins take on an England XI including the likes of Paul Gascoigne
Paul Gascoigne
Paul John Gascoigne , commonly referred to as Gazza, is a retired English professional footballer.Playing in the position of midfield, Gascoigne's career included spells at Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough, Everton and Gansu Tianma, where he scored at least a goal...
, John Barnes
John Barnes (footballer)
John Charles Bryan Barnes MBE is an English football manager and former player.During his playing career, Barnes had successful periods at Watford and Liverpool in the 1980s and 1990s, winning the First Division twice, the FA Cup twice, and playing for England 79 times...
and Chris Waddle
Chris Waddle
Christopher Roland "Chris" Waddle is a former footballer from England. He played for a number of clubs in the 1980s and 90s, including Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Sheffield Wednesday in England, and Olympique de Marseille in France...
.
Although Parkinson rarely featured on the field in his final season as Reading returned to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
, he remained a hugely respected member of the squad until his departure to Layer Road
Layer Road
Layer Road was a Football League stadium in Colchester, England. It was only used for football matches and was the home ground of Colchester United before being replaced by the Weston Homes Community Stadium. The stadium held spectators and was built in 1907, originally for use by Colchester Town...
.
In a vote to compile the Royals' best-ever eleven, Parkinson was voted the best central midfielder with 60.3% of the vote. Parkinson is still sung about in the terraces today (his song, "Five Parkinsons", is sung every Christmas).
Colchester United
Parkinson left Reading early in 2003 after 11 seasons to take his first steps into the world of management with Colchester UnitedColchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
. Despite showing promising signs as he steered the U's to safety upon arrival in February 2003, the 2003–04 season started poorly as Colchester slipped to three straight league defeats, only softened by a victory in the League Cup. The U's' supremo, however, continued to motivate as they surged up the table, looking like play-off contenders at one stage. They may have slipped down towards the end of the season, but a strong FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
run, LDV run and a good finish left optimism for U's supporters.
The 2005–06 season saw them finish in 2nd place, thereby gaining an unlikely promotion to the Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
– despite having the lowest average attendance of the division. However, he resigned in June 2006 with a year left to run on his contract.
Hull City
Parkinson was confirmed as the new manager of Hull CityHull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
in late June 2006, following the departure of Peter Taylor
Peter John Taylor
Peter John Taylor is an English football manager and former player and current head coach of the Bahrain national football team...
. Hull agreed to pay Colchester £400,000 compensation. However, when he led Hull against his old club, he was embarrassed as his former club romped home 5–1. After another defeat in the next match at home to Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
4–2, he left by "mutual consent" in early December, leaving Hull in the relegation zone.
Charlton Athletic
Parkinson then joined Charlton AthleticCharlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
in January 2007 as assistant manager to Alan Pardew
Alan Pardew
Alan Scott Pardew is an English football manager and former player, currently the manager of Newcastle United....
, having previously worked together at Reading. He was close to a return to management with Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
in April 2007, but made a last minute decision to remain with Charlton. Parkinson later extended his contract with Charlton until 2010. Following Alan Pardew's departure in November 2008, he was appointed caretaker manager and given the job permanently on New Year's Eve 2008 despite failing to win any of his eight matches in caretaker charge. Under his management, Charlton were relegated to the third tier of English football for the first time in nearly 30 years.
In League One, Charlton started off very well winning their first six league matches, but that run was brought to an end after a 1–1 draw at home to Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
, Parkinson's ex manager Alan Pardew
Alan Pardew
Alan Scott Pardew is an English football manager and former player, currently the manager of Newcastle United....
's side. Charlton continued to do well and were in the top two until the new year where Norwich overtook them and they then never returned to the top two, finishing fourth in the league. In the play-offs, they had to play Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
over the two legs and lost the first one 2–1 at the County Ground. But in the second they turned it around and led 2–0 but Swindon fought back and it finished 3–3 on aggregate. Swindon then continued and won on penalties 5–4 to condemn Parkinson and his men to another season in League One. But having not won a league game since November, Parkinson was sacked on 4 January 2011, the day after his side's 4–2 loss at home to Swindon Town.
Bradford City
Parkinson was appointed manager of Bradford CityBradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
on 28 August 2011.
As a manager
Colchester UnitedColchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
- 2005–06: League OneFootball League OneFootball League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
runners-up
Managerial statistics
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Colchester United Colchester United F.C. Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910.... |
 |
25 February 2003 | 14 June 2006 | 187 | 79 | 54 | 54 | |
| Hull City Hull City A.F.C. Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football... |
|
29 June 2006 | 4 December 2006 | 24 | 5 | 6 | 13 | |
| Charlton Athletic Charlton Athletic F.C. Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,... |
|
22 November 2008 | 4 January 2011 | 114 | 44 | 37 | 33 | |
| Total | 325 | 128 | 97 | 100 | ||||