Derrick Parker
Birth date7 February 1957 (age 69)
Birth placeWallsend, England
PositionStriker
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1]
Youthclubs 1Wallsend Boys Club
Years 11974–1977
Clubs 1Burnley
Caps 16
Goals 12
Years 21977–1980
Clubs 2Southend United
Caps 2129
Goals 243
Years 31980–1983
Clubs 3Barnsley
Caps 3107
Goals 332
Years 41983–1985
Clubs 4Oldham Athletic
Caps 457
Goals 411
Years 51984
Clubs 5Doncaster Rovers
Caps 55
Goals 51
Years 61985–1987
Clubs 6Burnley
Caps 643
Goals 610
Years 71987
Clubs 7Haka Valkeakoski
Caps 76
Goals 72
Years 81987–1988
Clubs 8Rochdale
Caps 87
Goals 81
Clubs 9North Ferriby United
Caps 9?
Goals 9?
Clubs 10Altrincham
Caps 10?
Goals 10?
Clubs 11Northwich Victoria
Caps 11?
Goals 11?
Clubs 12Frickley Athletic
Caps 12?
Goals 12?
Years 131991
Clubs 13Hyde United
Caps 133
Goals 131
Clubs 14Bishop Auckland
Caps 14?
Goals 14?
Clubs 15Irlam Town
Caps 15?
Goals 15?
Clubs 16Ossett Town
Caps 16?
Goals 16?

Derrick Parker (born 7 February 1957) is an English retired professional footballer who played as a striker. He played for six different teams in the Football League during his career, as well as having a spell in Finland with Haka Valkeakoski. He also played for several non-league clubs.

Playing career

Parker's career began in 1974 when he was promoted from the youths to the first team at Burnley. He played six matches in three years for Burnley, and scored two goals,[2] before moving to Southend United in 1977. He was a first-team regular at Roots Hall, making 129 league appearances in just three seasons and scoring 43 goals in the process.[2]

His performances for Southend earned him a transfer to Barnsley in February 1980.[3] He played over 100 league games for the club before joining Oldham Athletic in August 1983. He stayed at Boundary Park for two seasons and made more than 50 league appearances for the club.[2] After leaving Oldham in 1985, Parker had a short spell at Doncaster Rovers, where he played just five matches before returning to his first club, Burnley, in 1985.

During his second spell at Turf Moor, Parker played 43 times in the league, scoring ten goals for the side.[2] Along with a number of other players, he left the club in the summer of 1987 after the team had narrowly avoided relegation from the Football League Fourth Division with a last-day victory over Orient. Unable to find a club in England, Parker joined Finnish outfit Haka Valkeakoski. However, his stay in Finland was short-lived as he joined Rochdale midway through the 1987–88 season. He was released when the club hit a financial crisis in December 1987 having played seven league games in that time.

He had stints at North Ferriby United, Altrincham, Northwich Victoria and Frickley Athletic before joining Hyde United in 1991. He played three league matches and scored one goal for the club,[4] before leaving to sign for Bishop Auckland. After quitting Bishop Auckland, Parker had spells at Irlam Town and Ossett Town before retiring from the game and moving back to live in Barnsley. He now provides commentary on Barnsley games for local radio

References

  1. ^ Rollin, Jack (ed.) (1980). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1980–81. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 58. ISBN 0362020175.
  2. ^ Hugman, Barry (2005). The PFA Premier and Football League Players' Records 1946–2005. Queen Anne Press.
  3. ^ "The night red hot Blues held mighty Liverpool"
  4. ^ "Derrick Parker Hyde United stats". Hyde United F.C. Retrieved 29 October 2009.