Blackburn Rovers' Tony Parkes returns to Ewood Park for dementia-friendly social club

Anna Youssef spoke to Tony's family and other members of the social club.

A former player, coach, and manager has returned to his club's grounds to attend a dementia-friendly social club.

Tony Parkes made 350 appearances for Blackburn Rovers between 1970 and 1982, while also acting as their caretaker manager on six occasions.

However, his fond memories of his time with the club may have dimmed since he was diagnosed with Alzheimers in 2019.

His daughter, Natalie Parkes Thompson, said: "He doesn't speak now. He’s lost all his language. His understanding has gone.

"If you’re standing by a chair- nine times out of ten you have to physically sit him down.

"My dad because my dad doesn't always know who I am, he vaguely recognises me- probably because of my glasses, if I take them off- I’m just another person."

Despite his condition worsening, Tony has become a regular at Remember the Rovers, a dementia-friendly social club that meets at the club's grounds, Ewood Park, every week.

Natalie said: "He comes to Ewood Park and just for that hour or two you get little bits of my dad back... I just think groups like this are really important."

For lifelong Rovers fan Janet Dalton, Tony was always one of her heroes on the pitch. After meeting at Remember the Rovers, they now go to matches together.

She said: "When we’re leaving the game at the end people will stop and ask for his autograph and people will stop and say to their kids: "this is a true legend of the game" and you can tell he’s tickled pink with that."

More than 50 people attend the social club- all bonded by their love of Blackburn Rovers

The social clubs organiser, Ben Howard, said: " It allows them to get out of their homes to meet like minded people, to talk about life, football, Blackburn Rovers.

"They will look out on the stadium and tell stories about where they used to sit, who scored a goal and it just allows them to rekindle those memories, fond memories as well."

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