There is only one man befitting of the title 'Mr Blackburn Rovers' and that is Tony Parkes.

The Ewood Park icon has dedicated his life to the blue and white halves, whether that be as a player, staff member or supporter. 

In 2019, Tony’s daughter, Natalie, announced that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. That news rocked but unified the Rovers community with an outpour of emotion following.

With the help of Rovers' Community Trust programme, 'Remember the Rovers', the club have been able to support Tony and his family to provide him with the care and help that he needs.

As a result of The Community Trust's hard work, Remember The Rovers is due to receive a £10,000 grant as part of the Sky Bet EFL Building Foundations Fund. That is a £6million commitment made by Sky Bet over the next six seasons, as part of their continuing sponsorship of the EFL.

That funding will help provide vital resources for Tony and other members of the group. 

“People just think it’s forgetfulness,” daughter Natalie explained.

“I wish it was. It goes from aggression to just losing their vocabulary altogether – my dad has no voice now.

“He just couldn’t follow conversations, he felt lost, he was scared. 

"I grew up with here as a job and I didn't appreciate what that meant until I brought him back. It was uproar when he walked back on the pitch, it was like he was a rock star. He changed from being nothing, he knew where he was.

"Seeing him come to life, I thought I'd have to wrestle him off the pitch. It's a memory that will stay with him forever. This group gives my dad, and a lot of people, a lift."

Gary Robinson, CEO of the Blackburn Rovers Community Trust, said: “The funds that we’re going to be receiving means our staff can commit the time to make sure it grows and develops and continues to offer a first-class service to the beneficiaries.”

You can learn more about Tony's story, with messages from Rovers icons Chris Sutton and Kenny Dalglish, here.