Bobby Parker
Bobby Parker
Bobby Parker
● Bobby Parker (ED)

born in Scotland

Robert Parker was born on Saturday, 16th February, 1924, in Ratho, Midlothian.

The 5' 10 (11st 7lbs) defender signed for Donald Turner's Thistle on Monday, 24th August, 1942, having most recently been with Bathgate Thistle.

Aged 18, he made his debut appearance on Saturday, 23rd January, 1943, in an 8-1 win at home to St Mirren in the Southern League.

There were no goals for Bobby during his time with Thistle.

He played his last game for the club on Saturday, 28th December, 1946, in a 2-1 defeat at home to Queen of the South in the SFL First Division, having clocked up 145 appearances as a Jag.

His club-list included Bathgate Thistle, Partick Thistle and Heart of Midlothian.

Bobby died on Saturday, 1st March, 1997, in Edinburgh, aged 73.

Bio Extra

Defender Bobby Parker joined Thistle from Bathgate Thistle as an 18-year-old in August 1942, and got his first senior start in January 1943. The Jags had an easy 8-1 victory against St Mirren at Firhill in the Southern League game. The league was formed by southern league clubs to replace the Scottish Football League during the war years. In case he thought the Southern League was easy, Thistle lost 5-1 against Hibs, again at Firhill in their next game. For entertainment value Thistle beat Celtic 5-4 in their Southern League victory at Parkhead in August 1943. Later that month the Jags beat Airdrie 6-1 at Firhill. One cannot fault the league for entertainment!

In June 1945, Thistle beat Hibs 2-0 in the final of the Summer Cup, again a wartime competition, held over six weeks from May to June in the wartime summer months. Hibs won the trophy in 1941. In 1942 Rangers beat Hibs by the toss of a coin, after a 0-0 draw. St Mirren won in 1943, Motherwell in 1944. 5 competitions, and 5 different winners, and every year a new trophy was commissioned for the winner. Bobby had his no 5 jersey for that game, the same no 5 he wore for all his senior games for the club. Number 5 was the notional centre half position. In the competition first round tie against Dumbarton, Bobbie handled in the box. Thankfully the Sons missed the penalty, with the kick going wide of the posts. 2-1 to the Jags, with Thistle winning by a margin of 1 goal on aggregate over the 2 leg tie.

Bobby’s final game for the Jags was in a 2-1 SFL Division A defeat to Queen of the South in December 1946.

In 1947 Bobby joined Hearts, and represented the club as player, captain, coach, scout, director, and Chairman over a 45 year period. He went back to being a board member of the club, resigning in 1993. Bobby played for Hearts in the Christmas Day 1954 4-4 draw at Firhill. The Jags’ scorers that merry day were Bobby Howitt, 2 for Andy Kerr and a Davidson penalty.

In his obituary notice in the Independent, on his passing away on 1 March 1997, the paper reported “He would be covered in mud earlier in the game than anyone else, partly because he was a formidable tackler, partly because he was a terrific grafter and partly because he was fearless. He was also one of the most ferocious takers of free-kicks from outside the penalty box.” Bobby was also a successful businessman in the Gorgie, with interests in the news agency and travel industries.

(DMAC)



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