Steve Parkin

Infobox Football biography
playername = Steve Parkin


fullname = Stephen John Parkin
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1965|11|7
cityofbirth = Mansfield
countryofbirth = England
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
height = height|ft=5|in=6
nickname =
position =
currentclub = Hull City
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1983–1989
1989–1992
1992–1999
clubs = Stoke City
West Bromwich Albion
Mansfield Town
caps(goals) = 113 (5)
048 (2)
077 (3)
nationalyears = 1987–1988
nationalteam = England U21
nationalcaps(goals) = 006 (0)
manageryears = 1996–1999
1999–2001
2001–2002
2003–2006
managerclubs = Mansfield Town
Rochdale
Barnsley
Rochdale

Stephen John "Steve" Parkin (born November 7, 1965 in Mansfield, England) is an English former footballer and manager, currently working as First Team Coach at Hull City, under manager Phil Brown. He joined the club in January 2007 on a deal that (initially) runs till the end of the season. He had been sacked as manager of Rochdale A.F.C. on December 16, 2006.

Parkin started his managerial career at Mansfield Town at the start of the 1996-97 season after Andy King was sacked. Parkin, only 30 at the time, and club captain, took over as a caretaker manager, but went to last three seasons with the Stags, missing out closely on the play-offs in two of his three seasons. Parkin left Mansfield after his position became untenable due to a transfer embargo on the Nottinghamshire club, and joined Rochdale in the summer before the 1999-2000 season.

Parkin's first spell at Rochdale was a great success, and he lifted the Lancashire club from the depths of the league to an 8th place finish in his first season. The team's success paved the way for big money signings like Paul Connor and Clive Platt. On 9 November 2001 Parkin was attracted to a bigger club in the form of Barnsley F.C. who made him manager. Rochdale eventually missed out on promotion by losing in the play-off semi-final in May 2002.

Parkin's spell at Barnsley was not a productive or a successful one. Barnsley were in the relegation place at the time of his take over in Division 1 and with a prohibitive transfer budget, Parkin could not stop the rot and Barnsley were relegated in April 2002. The second season was not much better either, and with debt-ridden Barnsley struggling to stave off a second successive relegation in October 2002, Parkin, along with assistant Tony Ford were both sacked.

Parkin did not find a managerial position for 14 months after his departure from Barnsley. He became assistant manager at Notts County shortly after his sacking. In December 2003, Parkin went back to his former job at Rochdale, where Ford had already been re-employed as assistant-manager to Parkin's predecessor Alan Buckley. His first duty was to save Rochdale from relegation that season, which he did with a few games to spare, adding talent such as Grant Holt to the ranks, although Rochdale's final position was lower than when he took over. His second season in his new (old) job saw Dale nearly reach the play-offs, but stumble late in the season. In the 2005-06 season, Parkin guided the club to what many saw as a backward step, only narrowly avoiding relegation.

Both Parkin and Dale were under an increasingly significant amount of pressure following a poor start to the 2006-07 League Two season, which saw Rochdale gain only 6 points from 8 matches. During the course of the season Dale lost arguably one of their best players of recent years. Rickie Lambert, an Attacking Midfielder/Striker who was sold to Bristol Rovers for £200,000 on transfer deadline day in August 2006. Parkin's position became untenable and he was sacked shortly before Christmas.

References

*soccerbase|id=6118|name=Steve Parkin
* [http://www.soccerbase.com/managers2.sd?managerid=1330 Steve Parkin managerial stats] at Soccerbase
* [http://www.mansfieldtown.premiumtv.co.uk/page/HistoryIndex/0,,10325,00.html Mansfield Town history]
* [http://www.barnsleyfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/History/0,,10309,00.html Barnsley history]
* [http://www.rochdaleafc.com/ Rochdale Rivals site]