Lions land Parker
Swinton Lions have appointed ex-Super League player Rob Parker as the club’s general manager.
Parker’s brief includes building the club’s support base and to revolutionise its commercial operations.
As a player Parker had a successful Super League career with Bradford Bulls, Warrington, and Salford. He played a pivotal role in the Bulls’ Super League triumphs of 2003 and 2005, and he also played in their winning Challenge Cup Final in 2003, as well as Bradford’s victory over Penrith Panthers in the 2004 World Club Championship.
Parker also represented England in 2003, and over a 13 years career he chalked up some 260 first-team appearances.
Lions’ chairman John Roddy said, “I am delighted that Rob Parker is not only back in Rugby League, but is also now appointed as the general manager at Swinton Lions.
“I have been a massive supporter over the years of Rob, and this is now the second time that we will have worked together within a club environment.
“If successful like the first time, we will see a further enhancement of sponsorship opportunities and relationships with the business community.
“But also we will see further improvements in our overall organisation, our supporter engagement, and our reputation within our community.
“Rob will be a major asset to the club and I’m positive that our supporters will quickly recognise his enthusiasm, knowledge and passion for the game.
“It has been brilliant to sit down with Rob to share with him our exciting journey during the past two seasons and our vision for the future. I am very confident that he will assist us to meet our goals.”
Parker said: “I am a man with a proven track record of securing strong partnerships between the rugby league clubs I’ve worked at, and the surrounding business community.
“I don’t have any airs and graces and I don’t subscribe to the usual brand of sales talk. I am simply a down to earth sort of bloke, and I treat people with honesty and respect.
“I am incredibly passionate about the sport, and this passion has always been my driving force as a player and as an administrator. With regards to my new role at Swinton, I don’t subscribe to us being a small club.
“Make no mistake, this club has huge potential and I have the hunger and the desire to help unleash that potential. I’ve watched the club from the outside over the past couple of years and I’ve been greatly impressed with what I’ve seen.
“It’s a club that already possesses some great qualities – a tremendously loyal and enthusiastic group of supporters, and an up and coming young team with great togetherness and an outstanding coaching set up.
“In John, Alan, Gordon and Steve there is a board who are in it for the right reasons, who have no egos, and who have taken the club from the brink of oblivion to promotion and consolidation within the space of a couple of years.
“I already know John Roddy and John Duffy very well and I know these are men I respect and can work with. I’ve also been speaking to Steve Wild and he’s in the process of filling me in on community matters and on what makes the club tick.
“But my job as of now is to help the club raise its game yet further. The most pressing issues are to expand our crowd base, and to create some exciting commercial partnerships. And, of course, I’m well aware of our stadium ambitions.
“But in short, I can’t wait to get started.”
