Ewood Park stalwart Parkes diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease

Former Blackburn player and coach Tony Parkes has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, his daughter Natalie has revealed.

Parkes, 70, inset, spent 34 years at Ewood Park as a player and a member of the coaching staff, taking the caretaker manager role on six occasions. He played an integral role in the 1995 league title win under Kenny Dalglish, but in an interview with BBC Radio Lancashire, Natalie said he can now recall little about the glory days.

She said: “It’s changed a lot for my dad. The words aren’t there, the memories aren’t always there. It’s sad because we’re watching these matches on TV and he can’t always remember the details like he used to be able to.

“He used to remember everything about Blackburn, about when Kenny [Dalglish] was there, and how at every away match they’d be playing practical jokes on each other. It’s hard now because those memories have gone.”

Parkes left Blackburn in 2004 and joined the coaching staff at Blackpool, serving as caretaker manager after Simon Grayson’s departure, before he left in May 2009. Natalie added: “I’m trying to come to terms with the fact that I lost my dad before Christmas.

“This Tony Parkes is different. He’s still got the glimmers now and then, but it’s not the same person I grew up with.”

Grayson, who is back in charge at Bloomfield Road, said: “It’s terrible news about Tony suffering from this horrible illness. Tony was a massive part of my first time here – the experience he brought, to everything that we did together.

“We wish him massive good luck and our thoughts are with his family.”