Patrick John Parker (15 July 1929 – 28 January 2014) was an English professional footballer who played at centre half for Southampton in the 1950s.

Playing career

Parker was born in Bow, Devon and after his national service in the Royal Air Force he joined

Plymouth Argyle Plymouth Argyle Football Club is a professional football club based in the city of Plymouth, Devon, England. As of the 2021–22 season, the team are competing in League One, the third tier of English football. They have played at Home Park, ...

as an amateur in 1949. He failed to make the grade at Argyle and was playing for Newton Abbot on a part-time basis, where he was spotted by Southampton when the clubs met in a pre-season friendly. Manager

Sid Cann Sydney Thomas Cann (30 October 1911 – 1 November 1996) was an English professional football defender and football manager. He was capped twice by England at Schools level. Playing career Born in Babbacombe, Torquay, Sid Cann joined Torquay U ...

signed Parker in August 1951 and, after a few reserve team matches, he made his first team debut away to Leicester City on 3 September 1951. His early career was blighted by broken legs, firstly in a pre-season friendly against his former club in 1952 and then a year later in another friendly against an RAF team. He eventually overcame these difficulties and in April 1954 he replaced

Stan Clements Stanley Finlay Thomas Clements OBE (25 June 1923 – 8 November 2018) was an English footballer who played most of his professional career for Southampton. Playing career He was a mechanical engineer in Portsmouth's naval dockyards and join ...

at the heart of Saints' defence. He retained his place for the start of the following season before losing out to

Len Wilkins Leonard Wilkins (20 September 1925 – August 2003) was a professional footballer who played his entire career (at half-back) for Southampton from 1945 to 1958. In 1958, he emigrated to Canada and played in the National Soccer League The ...

. He continued to turn out regularly for the reserves and in turn replaced Wilkins in the centre for the first team; in 1956–57 he was ever-present and his "sterling performances in the heart of the Southampton defence" earned him Divisional representational honours. He was selected to play for the Third Division South team in 1955–56 and 1956–57. After 145 games for the Saints, he was transfer listed in 1959 and moved on a free transfer to Poole Town, along with Southampton teammates Bryn Elliott, Sam Stevens and

Barry Hillier Barry Guy Hillier (8 April 1936 – 10 December 2016) was an English footballer who played as a left-back. Career In 1953, Hillier signed for Southampton, initially playing in the reserves. During Hillier's time in the reserves at the club, ...

. After a year with Poole, he moved to the Isle of Wight to join Cowes Sports starting a long association with the Cowes club, where he became manager in 1961, continuing to play until 1978. After retiring from full-time professional football, he worked as a production controller before becoming a sales administrator for

International Computers Limited International Computers Limited (ICL) was a British computer hardware, computer software and computer services company that operated from 1968 until 2002. It was formed through a merger of International Computers and Tabulators (ICT), English Ele ...

. He lived in Southampton for the rest of his life and died on 28 January 2014.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Parker, Pat 1929 births 2014 deaths People from Mid Devon District English men's footballers Men's association football midfielders Plymouth Argyle F.C. players Newton Abbot A.F.C. players Southampton F.C. players Poole Town F.C. players Cowes Sports F.C. players English Football League players Southern Football League players 20th-century Royal Air Force personnel Footballers from Devon Royal Air Force airmen Military personnel from Devon