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Former North-West daily sports editor dies aged 74

A former daily sports editor whose career included stints on three regional titles in the North-West has died aged 74.

Bob Parkinson spent the majority of his working life in the Lancashire area save for a short spell in Fleet Street.

Born and raised in Fleetwood, he was educated at Lancaster Royal Grammar School and at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, gaining a ‘blue’ for representing the university at golf.

Entering journalism, he had a spell in Fleet Street on Fishing News before joining the now-defunct Manchester Evening Chronicle in 1959 where he became the Manchester City correspondent.

When the paper closed in 1963 he joined the Blackburn Evening Telegraph and then, in 1973, moved to the Bolton Evening News as a sub-editor.

He later became deputy sports editor and then sports editor — a position he held for most of the 70s and 80s until he retired in 1988.

Parky – as he was affectionately known – lived in Sale and is survived by his wife, Sheila.

He died in Wythenshawe Hospital after a short illness. His funeral will take place at Altrincham Crematorium next Thursday at 2.30pm.

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