EWOOD legend Tony Parkes has admitted he was 'shocked and disappointed' to hear he had been sacked by Blackburn Rovers.

Parkes believed he had a job for life with the club he has served so loyally as a player, coach and manager during the last 34 years.

However, the 55-year-old awoke yesterday morning to hear that he had been fired as the club's reserve team manager.

And it was Parkes' daughter who actually broke the devastating news to her father after details of his shock departure had leaked out through the Press.

Rovers are acutely embarrassed by the way the events of the last 24 hours have unfolded.

The decision to relieve Parkes of his duties was taken in a board meeting on Tuesday but the details leaked out before manager Mark Hughes had the chance to inform him in person.

Nevertheless, Parkes, who has been granted a testimonial in recognition of his loyal service, reacted with typical dignity last night and insisted he bore no malice towards the club.

"I feel shocked and disappointed," said Parkes, his voice quivering with emotion.

"I first got to know about quarter to eight in the morning (yesterday).

"My daughter, who was up before me, heard something on the news which said I'd been sacked and that Mark Hughes was bringing in his own backroom staff.

"I just said 'no, there must be something wrong there because he's got his backroom staff so this must be old news'.

"But when I then got in the car to drive in to training I put the radio on and, lo and behold, it was true.

"I spoke to John Williams and said 'what's happening?' and he said 'yes, it's right' so I turned the car around and went straight to Ewood to speak to him in person.

"It could have been an embarrassing situation for me to go into training with everyone having read the paper and I didn't know anything about it.

"I've read where managers have got the sack on the beach when they've been away from the club and I've always thought Blackburn Rovers wouldn't do it that way, but obviously it has happened this time.

"I know you can't stop the Press from writing things and I'm not blaming the club or Mark Hughes.

"But between them they've got it wrong and it was a big, big shock to hear it that way.

"I think I deserve a bit more respect than listening to my daughter saying she's just heard it on the radio."

Parkes' 34-year association with Rovers began in 1970 when he joined as a player from Non-League Buxton in a £3,000 deal.

Since then he has played for, coached and managed Rovers in three different divisions, working under 16 different bosses.

The vast majority of that time was spent working with the first team but his role was redefined in the summer when Graeme Souness invited him to take up the post of reserve team manager.

Ironically, it was then that Parkes felt sure he was going to see out the rest of his days at Rovers but in fact that signalled the beginning of the end for a man who has shown the club tremendous loyalty down the years.

"When I took the reserve job in the summer I thought 'that's me for life'," said Parkes.

"It was a step back from the first team and I just thought that will see me through to the end of my career or until I decide I've had enough.

"If I'd still been involved with the first team then I'd have understood this could have happened at anytime because you're always in the firing line to lose your job.

"But I was with the reserves and the younger players and I was starting to think 'I'm enjoying this. This is me'."

Rovers tried to soften the blow for Parkes yesterday by offering him an ambassadorial role as a form of compensation but he made it clear that he wants to remain in coaching, even if that now means working elsewhere.

Nevertheless, Rovers will always be dear to Parkes' heart and he insists he bears no animosity towards the club, despite the bitter disappointment he feels at the way his departure has been handled.

"I'm ex-Blackburn Rovers now but I'll always remember the fans and I'll try to stay in the game as well. I'll try to spend another few years with someone else if that's possible," added Parkes. "But my first love will always be Blackburn Rovers and I hope they can climb that table very quickly.

"There's no animosity from me towards Blackburn Rovers and I hope they do well."

Rovers have confirmed that Parkes has been granted a testimonial but the details have yet to be arranged.

"I've met with Tony Parkes and a testimonial game is something we very much want to do, although the nature and timing of it has still to be finalised," said Rovers' chief executive John Williams.