Suits don't suit Parkes!

The 50-year-old Ewood stalwart may have stepped out of the shadows today to assume control of the club he loves.

But he does not plan to throw away his tracksuit and become one of the sharp suits of his profession.

The unsung hero of the Blackburn End was always a bread and butter performer as a player during a 12-year stint with the club which saw him make 387 appearances.

He was a grafter, a man of substance, an inspirational leader on the pitch.

And it is those same qualities which has made him such a success during his five stints as a caretaker.

Yet despite his new-found status as a number one in his own right, he's planning on sticking to what he knows best.

"I want to be involved, I want to do most of the coaching, and I think that's where we get the feel between the players and the manager," said Parkes.

"A lot of work goes on out on the training ground and that's where you earn your respect.

"And Terry Daracott will be with me so we'll work together out there.

"But whenever I've taken over as a caretaker in the past I always attack it as if I'm a full time manager.

"That's the only way I can do it in fairness to the players and everybody else involved at Blackburn Rovers.

"The change will be that the players now see they've got a settled man in the job and if they have any problems they might be knocking on my door very quickly."

It was the fear-factor which persuaded Parkes to have a crack at management full-time after five times being a bridesmaid. Fear of wondering what might have been had he not seized his chance to test his ability as an outright number one.

And fear that he may be deemed surplus to requirements should a new regime be put in place.

"That's a big fear, a big fear," said Parkes.

"I've been fortunate to stay during the times that managers have come in.

"But if a two had have come, which often happens, then where would that have left me?

"It's okay if I'm still at the club.

"But there's certainly got to be some job satisfaction as well.

"So that was at the back of my mind.

"I've always fancied my chances of taking over. But you just don't know how many chances you are going to get.

"So I thought this might be the right time."

Parkes admits even he has been surprised by the way he has turned things around since Brian Kidd was sacked.

But despite the precarious League position he found Rovers in at the start of November, he still insists there was never anything fundamentally wrong.

"I didn't think there was that much wrong, to be honest," said Parkes.

"We didn't play too badly at times but we never got any lucky bounces.

"We went to Man City and possibly could have won there. "We went to Huddersfield earlier in the season and played well there.

"So there were a lot of games where it just didn't turn for us, for whatever reason.

"Fortunately, that seems to have changed now but it's very hard to say why."

Whatever the reasons, the club is now looking towards a play-off place rather than the relegation trap-door thanks to a magnificent eight game unbeaten run.

But Parkes believes his hard work has only just started.

"If we reach the play offs it will have been a wonderful season," said Parkes.

"It always looks easier than it actually is when you look at the table.

"We are probably four points behind sixth place but that's a big gap."

Whatever happens, it's going to be a journey of discovery for one of football's most loyal servants.

Parkes's record in the transfer market, for instance, has never seriously been put to the test and he can only recall ever signing one player during his previous 29 years at the club.

That was Sean Curry for £5,000 from Liverpool reserves in 1987.

The stakes are higher now, though, and armed with Jack Walker's financial muscle, he looked like a kid in a sweet shop yesterday.

"I've never really had the luxury to go out and sign people in the past," said Parkes.

"But now it's all started for real."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.