Lofty, One of a Kind: Legendary Wolves goalkeeper Phil Parkes leaves a lasting legacy after passing away aged 79

The former Wolves keeper played 382 games for the club between 1966 and 1978, including 170 consecutive appearances at the beginning of the 1970s. But his impact went way beyond the football pitch. A fine fast bowler with Fordhouses after his retirement, in later years he was a keen supporter of Wolves Foundation and was a regular at the Wolves Former Players Association (WFPA) get-togethers and many other social events until a fall at home in April last year left him unable to walk.

It all began down the road for the West Bromwich-born Parkes, who was taken to The Hawthorns as a child by his Albion-supporting family. He had a brief trial there as a youngster, before being spotted by Wolves scouts, joining the club in the summer of 1960 before turning professional four years later.

Drama followed him early on. On his third day as a professional he fell into a rabbit hole on a training run at Cannock Chase, injuring his ankle. He made his full debut at the age of 19, in more eventful circumstances, when he deputised for the injured Fred Davies and saved a penalty in a 3-2 win at home to Preston North End, in the Second Division promotion season.

By the end of the following campaign, 1967/68, Parkes had established himself as first choice. He became a key member of a great Wolves team in the first half of the Seventies, playing a pivotal role in the run to the 1972 UEFA Cup Final, as Wolves saw off European powerhouse Juventus over two legs in the quarter-final. He also saved two penalties against Ferencvaros in the semi-final ties.

Two years later, injury cruelly denied him the chance to play in the League Cup final, but he played his part in the Wembley victory over Manchester City by mentoring young Gary Pierce in the build-up to the match. And when Wolves lifted the trophy, nobody was more delighted for the deputy keeper than Parkes himself.

His record of consecutive appearances prior to the injury does not tell half the story. During that run he played with an energy-sapping fever against Chelsea, a broken finger against Bristol Rovers and a broken toe against Burnley. Parkes never yielded to anything.

Perhaps inspired by his time with Wolves on their tour to Los Angeles in 1967, he headed out to North America for the final part of his career becoming a legend in his own right at Vancouver Whitecaps, where he coached a young Bruce Grobelaar.

Spells in Chicago, San Jose, Oklahoma and Toronto followed and he regularly shared the pitch with some of the world’s best players during a period when the game was being developed Stateside.

Back home, there was his late summer of sport playing competitive cricket for Fordhouses before he threw himself into the social scene and became a much-loved and dedicated member of WFPA. In this role he worked tirelessly for charity, making regular appearances on behalf of Wolves Foundation and others.

"It's a very sad day, we've lost one of our greats and one of the most genuine people you could wish to meet," said former team-mate John Richards. "Phil was a big character with an even bigger heart. He would help anyone and was always there if you needed anything. He has been a massive part of the Wolves family for well over 60 years and his loss will be difficult to come to terms with. A warm and very special man, he is leaving a huge hole in our lives. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and close friends."

In 2023, Parkes was inducted into Wolves' Hall of Fame. And it was fitting that, a year later, he was able to take the stage at The Grand Theatre in Wolverhampton with his old team-mate Gary Pierce and others from the League Cup winning squad, for a 50th anniversary tribute evening.

Lofty brought the house down with his stories in front of an audience of almost a thousand Wolves fans. He knew that night just how much affection there was for him. One of Wolves’ larger than life characters, a great player and a man who lit up the lives of so many.