Gary Parkinson
Gary Parkinson is a freelance writer, editor, trainer, muso, singer, actor and coach. He spent 14 years at FourFourTwo as the Global Digital Editor and continues to regularly contribute to the magazine and website, including major features on Euro 96, Subbuteo, Robert Maxwell and the inside story of Liverpool's 1990 title win. He is also a Bolton Wanderers fan.
Latest articles by Gary Parkinson

Euro 2024: Where did Denzel Dumfries get his name from – and is there any Scottish link?
By Gary Parkinson published
Denzel Dumfries, the Netherlands' marauding right-back at Euro 2024, has a familiar name to British ears

Euro 96, the complete history, part six: England's dream dies in Germany semi-final shootout
By Gary Parkinson last updated
Twenty-two men chase a ball and at the end – spoiler – the Germans win. But what effect did Euro 96 have on football in England?

Euro 96, the complete history, part four: The Dutch demolition, England’s greatest performance
By Gary Parkinson last updated
LONGREAD England's final Euro 96 group game against Guus Hiddink's Netherlands may have been the pinnacle of an iconic tournament

Euro 96, the complete history, part three: Scotland vs England, and the story behind Gazza's goal
By Gary Parkinson last updated
Paul Gascoigne was about to be substituted before Gary McAllister missed Scotland's penalty. Then his goal changed England's tournament...

Euro 96, the complete history, part two: The opening ceremony and England vs Switzerland
By Gary Parkinson last updated
We remember Euro 96 fondly, but after difficult beginnings the first game didn't make things much better for Terry Venables' England side...

Euro 96, the complete history, part one: England's expectations, the dentist's chair and El Tel's troubles
By Gary Parkinson last updated
The iconic Euro 96 tournament holds a special place in our hearts, but with tabloids and parliamentarians turning on the team, it had difficult beginnings

Ranked! The 100 best stadiums in the world
By Mark White last updated
RANKED! The best stadiums in the world from all corners of the globe: this is your ultimate match-going bucket list

The 10 best football books EVER
By Ed McCambridge last updated
BEST BOOKS Going away and need a holiday read? After the perfect gift idea? FFT has you covered, with our definitive list of the 10 best football books ever written

Ranked! The 100 best football stadiums in Britain
By Chris Flanagan last updated
GREATEST GROUNDS From Anfield to Oakwell, FFT ranks the best football stadiums by their matchday experience. We’re convinced there’ll be absolutely no arguing about it...

Stats Zone Premier League Central Midfielder of the Season 2015/16: N’Golo Kante
By Gary Parkinson last updated
Stats Zone Awards At just over 5ft 6in, the Frenchman didn't look like the type of player who'd dominate Premier League pitches this season. But don't judge a book and all that: Leicester's tireless middleman has proved a truly exceptional force of nature...

"Everyone said, ‘This sounds too good to be true’. It turned out to be exactly that." – Remembering the fall of ITV Digital, twenty years on
By Gary Parkinson published
In 2002, Football League clubs were plunged into a financial crisis when ITV's colossal deal crumbled before them. The repercussions were far-reaching and no one emerged unscathed – FFT uncovers the catastrophe from within...

Manchester United can’t rely on Cristiano Ronaldo – and his last stint proves why
By Gary Parkinson published
Cristiano Ronaldo will continue to score goals. But, worries Gary Parkinson, will enough of his team-mates still do so in a system retooled around the main man?

From non-league player to Premier League star – the 10 greatest fairytale stories
By Gary Parkinson published
Michail Antonio isn't the only player to have started at the bottom - as these 10 can testify

Ranked! Arsenal's worst-ever starts to a season
By Gary Parkinson published
Mikel Arteta is under pressure after Arsenal's poor early-season results, but which Gunners sides have had the worst starts to a season?

The Subbuteo story: how a war veteran-cum-egg-collector invented Britain’s legendary tabletop favourite
By Gary Parkinson published
Subbuteo came into being in 1946, RAF veteran Peter Adolph coming up with an idea for a family-friendly football game to brighten life in post-war Britain. In 75 (often controversial) years, since, its legacy is assured through pop-punk, Paolo Di Canio and more...

On this day at the Euros, July 10: How the first Euros final was won by a spider
By Gary Parkinson published
Also helping, recalls Gary Parkinson, were the Georgian Garrincha and a famously sportsmanlike skipper

On This Day at the Euros, July 9: France pioneer not caring about third place
By Gary Parkinson published
The Euros were one of the better French football ideas, says Gary Parkinson; having a third-place game, not so much

On this day at the Euros, July 7: France kickstart decline of world champions Germany at Euro 2016
By Gary Parkinson published
Germany boss Jogi Low moaned that the better side lost in the Euro 2016 semi-final – but the era of success under his guidance was over

The 10 all-time men's international top scorers
By Gary Parkinson published
Cristiano Ronaldo Who is the all-time international top scorer? Meet the men Cristiano Ronaldo has gradually tiptoed his way past...

Marco van Basten's volley, Euro 88: The story behind the Netherlands' most famous goal
By Gary Parkinson published
Marco van Basten led the Netherlands to a Euro 88 win courtesy of a brilliant strike in the final against the Soviet Union. Not bad for their third-choice forward...

How do Euro 2020 suspensions work?
By Gary Parkinson last updated
Explaining the suspension rules at Euro 2020, including when yellow cards get wiped out

France 1-0 Germany – as it happened
By Gary Parkinson last updated
All the action from the Allianz Arena as France took on Germany

The six steps that made the Super League inevitable
By Gary Parkinson published
You couldn’t call it unexpected, says Gary Parkinson – this has been in the pipeline for decades
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