RIP Lindsay Parsons - 20th March 1946 – 12th April 2019

Today we were saddened to learn of the death, at the age of 73, of former Rovers full back Lindsay Parsons, following a long illness.

Born in Bristol, on 20th March 1946, Lindsay signed his first professional contract with Rovers in March 1964, on his 18th birthday. By the time he left the club, in July 1977, he had appeared in 360 league games, a total that included one run of 167 consecutive appearances.

A member of the side that won the Watney Cup in 1972 and promotion to the Second Division in 1974, the right footed left back never managed to get his name on the scoresheet for Rovers.

He more than made up for his lack of goals with his consistent defensive displays in a blue and white quartered shirt, though, and his no nonsense defending and goal line clearances were often the talk of the Eastville terraces.

He was awarded a testimonial season in 1974/75 and in the first home programme of that season we were told that:

‘We shall be concentrating all our efforts in helping Lindsay in his testimonial year. There will be various events, including the ever popular darts matches and the not too serious football fixtures.’

In the 1976/77 season, his last at Eastville, Lindsay skippered the side and appeared in 26 league games.

He moved on to Torquay United after leaving Rovers in the summer of 1977 and played 56 league games for the Plainmoor outfit before embarking on a non league career with Cheltenham Town, Taunton Town, Gloucester City, Forest Green Rovers, Yate Town, Hanham Athletic and Frome Town.

Lindsay was also a schoolboy coach at Rovers between 1983 and 1988 and in November 1990 he returned to Whaddon Road to take on coaching duties for Cheltenham Town. He became caretaker manager in 1992 and later that same year took on the role in a permanent capacity, with former teammate Peter Aitken as his assistant.

In 1995 he joined another former team mate, Tony Pulis, who was then manager of Gillingham and the two of them went on to work together at Bristol City, Portsmouth, Stoke City, Plymouth Argyle and Stoke City again.

He often returned to watch Rovers, both in a professional capacity when he was a coach/assistant manager at other clubs, and sometimes simply as a former player.