Lindsay Parsons

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Lindsay Parsons

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Lindsay William Parsons

| birth_date = {{birth date|1946|3|20|df=y}}

| birth_place = Bristol, England

| death_date = {{death date and age|2019|4|12|1946|3|20|df=y}}

| death_place =

| height =

| position = Full back

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = South Gloucester Boys

| youthyears2 = 1960–1961 | youthclubs2 = New Cheltenham

| youthyears3 = 1961–1964 | youthclubs3 = Bristol Rovers

| years1 = 1964–1977 | clubs1 = Bristol Rovers | caps1 = 360 | goals1 = 0

| years2 = 1977–1980 | clubs2 = Torquay United | caps2 = 56 | goals2 = 0

| years3 = 1979–1982 | clubs3 = Taunton Town | caps3 = | goals3 =

| years4 = 1982–1983 | clubs4 = Gloucester City | caps4 = | goals4 =

| years5 = 1983–1984 | clubs5 = Forest Green Rovers | caps5 = | goals5 =

| years6 = 1984–1985 | clubs6 = Yate Town | caps6 = | goals6 =

| years7 = 1985–1989 | clubs7 = Hanham Athletic | caps7 = | goals7 =

| years8 = 1989–1990 | clubs8 = Frome Town | caps8 = | goals8 =

| totalcaps = 416 | totalgoals = 0

| manageryears1 = 1992–1993 | managerclubs1 = Cheltenham Town

}}

Lindsay William Parsons (20 March 1946 – 12 April 2019{{cite news |url=https://brfpa.org.uk/2019/04/12/a-tribute-to-lindsay-parsons-2/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412172927/https://brfpa.org.uk/2019/04/12/a-tribute-to-lindsay-parsons-2/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=12 April 2019 |title=A Tribute to Lindsay Parsons |publisher=Bristol Rovers Former Players Association |date=12 April 2019 |accessdate=12 April 2019}}) was an English professional footballer who played in The Football League for Bristol Rovers and Torquay United.

Playing career

Parsons is from the Barton Hill area of Bristol and played football as a schoolboy for South Gloucester Boys Club and New Cheltenham before signing as an apprentice with Bristol Rovers in 1961 at the age of 15. He signed his first professional contract with Rovers on his eighteenth birthday and made his League debut shortly afterwards. He stayed with Bristol Rovers until 1977, fifteen years after he originally joined them, and made a total of 358 League appearances without scoring any goals. His only other Football League team was Torquay United, for whom he played between 1977 and 1980, and from there he went on to play for a number of non-League teams in the West Country – Taunton Town, Gloucester City, Forest Green Rovers, Yate Town, Hanham Athletic and Frome Town, finally retiring in 1990 at the age of 44.{{cite book |last1=Jay |first1=Mike |last2=Byrne |first2=Stephen |title=Pirates in Profile: A Who's Who of Bristol Rovers Players |year=1994 |publisher=Potten, Baber & Murray |location=Bristol |isbn=0-9524835-0-5 |pages=192–193}}

Non-playing career

Parsons took his first coaching job while still playing non-League football, coaching Bristol Rovers' schoolboy teams between 1983 and 1988. He later gained employment as a coach at Cheltenham Town in 1990, and after Ally Robertson vacated the manager's position in 1992 Parsons was appointed to the position in a caretaker's capacity, and was later given the job permanently.

He later forged a strong working relationship with his former Bristol Rovers teammate Tony Pulis, working with him in various coaching and scouting capacities at Gillingham, Bristol City, Portsmouth, Stoke City, Plymouth Argyle, and at Stoke City again from 2007.{{cite news |url=http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/panels/March-2007-Parsons-rejoins-Pulisarticle-490233-details/article.html |title=Tony Pulis: Parsons rejoins Pulis |work=This Is Staffordshire |publisher=The Sentinel |date=1 March 2007 |accessdate=21 January 2010}} In April 2013 Parsons conducted an interview in which he criticised manager Tony Pulis' style of play and stated that a number of players he recommended to Pulis went on to join other Premier League club's.{{cite web|title=Stoke City: Chief scout Lindsay Parsons says he doesn't like Potters' style of play|url=http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/Stoke-City-Chief-scout-Lindsay-Parsons-says-doesn/story-18606785-detail/story.html#axzz2S7rQvsnW|work=The Sentinel|accessdate=3 May 2013}} Pulis then stated he has no problems with Parsons views.{{cite web|title=Tony Pulis: There's no issue with Lindsay Parsons' views on Stoke City's style|url=http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/Tony-Pulis-s-issue-Lindsay-Parsons-views-Stoke/story-18618901-detail/story.html#axzz2S7rQvsnW|work=The Sentinel|accessdate=3 May 2013}} However, on 3 May 2013 Parsons was fired by Stoke for a "breach of contract".{{cite web|title=Stoke City let go of chief scout Lindsay Parsons for breach of contract following interview criticising manager Tony Pulis|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/stoke-city/10036285a/Stoke-City-let-go-of-chief-scout-Lindsay-Parsons-for-breach-of-contract-following-interview-criticising-manager-Tony-Pulis.html|work=The Telegraph|accessdate=3 May 2013}}{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

Career statistics

Source:{{ENFA}}

rowspan=2\|Club !rowspan=2\|Season !colspan=3\|League !colspan=2\|FA Cup !colspan=2\|League Cup !colspan=2\|Other !colspan=2\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan=15\|Bristol Rovers \|1963–64 \|Third Division \|1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
1964–65 \|Third Division \|3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
1965–66 \|Third Division \|9	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9	0
1966–67 \|Third Division \|17	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	20	0
1967–68 \|Third Division \|21	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	22	0
1968–69 \|Third Division \|34	0	6	0	1	0	0	0	41	0
1969–70 \|Third Division \|17	0	2	0	1	0	0	0	20	0
1970–71 \|Third Division \|43	0	3	0	6	0	0	0	52	0
1971–72 \|Third Division \|46	0	3	0	6	0	0	0	55	0
1972–73 \|Third Division \|46	0	1	0	6	0	3{{efn\|name=WC\|Appearances in Watney Cup}}	0	56	0
1973–74 \|Third Division \|42	0	3	0	1	0	2{{efn\|name=WC}}	0	48	0
1974–75 \|Second Division \|28	0	2	0	3	0	0	0	33	0
1975–76 \|Second Division \|27	0	2	0	2	0	0	0	31	0
1976–77 \|Second Division \|26	0	3	0	1	0	0	0	30	0
colspan=2\|Total !360	0	28	0	28	0	5	0	421	0
rowspan=3\|Torquay United \|1977–78 \|Fourth Division \|43	0	1	0	2	0	0	0	46	0
1978–79 \|Fourth Division \|13	0	2	0	2	0	0	0	30	0
colspan=2\|Total !56	0	3	0	4	0	0	0	76	0
colspan=3\|Career total !416	0	31	0	32	0	5	0	484	0