Stuart Parnaby

Stuart Parnaby (born 19 July 1982) is an English former professional footballer who played as a right-back in the Football League and Premier League for Halifax Town, Middlesbrough, Birmingham City and Hartlepool United.

He was most recently the assistant manager at club Spennymoor Town.

Parnaby graduated from Middlesbrough's academy, playing on loan for Halifax Town in 2000 before making his Middlesbrough debut in 2002.

Parnaby made his first-team debut for Middlesbrough in September 2000 in a League Cup match against Macclesfield Town.

The next month, he was loaned to Halifax Town, during which time he played six games and won the Third Division Player of the Month award before returning to his parent club in December.

He did not make any more appearances for Middlesbrough in the 2000–01 season.

Parnaby did not feature in the 2001–02 season due to two serious injuries to his hip, both of which required surgery.

Nevertheless, he signed a new contract with the club in March 2002, lasing until June 2004.

Having recovered from his injuries by July 2002, he felt he could make his return in the first team.

The 2002–03 season saw Parnaby sidelined until he made his Premier League debut on 26 October 2002, in a 2–2 draw against Leeds United.

Following his debut, he had a run in the first team before a tear on his hamstring kept him sidelined for weeks.

Parnaby went on to make 23 appearances for the club in 2002–03.

As a result, he was awarded the Supporters' Club Young Player of the Year award.

Parnaby featured in the first four matches of the 2003–04 season.

However, during the season, he found himself struggling to feature in the team after a four-month layoff for a knee injury.

He made his return as a substitute for Franck Queudrue in a 1–0 home loss against Manchester United on 28 December 2003.

However, Parnaby's appearances were limited towards the end of the 2003–04 season through back and hamstring injuries, as well as Danny Mills, who had signed for the club earlier in the season, establishing himself as Middlesbrough's first-choice right-back.

Despite this, Parnaby made 16 appearances for the club.

Middlesbrough won the 2003–04 League Cup, and despite not making the squad for the final, he appeared in the earlier rounds.

It was Parnaby's shot in the semi-final second leg against Arsenal which was deflected in by José Antonio Reyes to seal the win for Middlesbrough.

Parnaby started the 2004–05 season playing regularly in Middlesbrough's team before he broke his leg during training in October 2004, which was expected to keep him out of action for around three months.

He went on to make more than 100 appearances for Middlesbrough's first team and was part of the team that finished as runners-up in the 2005–06 UEFA Cup.

Parnaby made his return on 5 February 2005 in a 1–0 home win over Blackburn Rovers.

After getting playing time for 10 matches, he suffered an injury that kept him out for a week before making his return on 29 April, coming on as a substitute in a 1–1 draw away to Liverpool.

He finished the season with 24 appearances.

In August 2005, Parnaby suffered a knee injury that resulted in him missing the start of the 2005–06 season.

He made his first-team return on 2 October, coming on as a substitute, in a 3–2 win over Aston Villa.

His return was later short-lived when he suffered a minor knock during a League Cup match against Crystal Palace.

After three weeks out, Parnaby made his return to the first team on 26 December in a 2–0 home loss to Blackburn.

He scored his first Middlesbrough goal on 17 January 2006, in a 5–2 home win over Nuneaton Borough in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

A few weeks later, on 31 January, he scored his first Premier League goal, in a 3–0 win over Sunderland.

He then scored his first European goal on 16 February in the first leg of last 16 of UEFA Cup, in a 2–1 away win over VfB Stuttgart.

However, Parnaby suffered a hamstring injury during a match against Birmingham City and was expected to be sidelined for three to four weeks.

Parnaby joined Birmingham City in 2007 and helped them win promotion to the Premier League as runners-up in the 2008–09 Championship.

He was also rewarded with a new contract with the club in March, lasting until June 2007.

After four years with the club, a time disrupted by injury, he was released at the end of the 2010–11 season.

He was an unused substitute as Birmingham beat Arsenal at Wembley Stadium in the 2011 League Cup Final.

After a year without a club, Parnaby rejoined Middlesbrough in 2012 but struggled with injuries before leaving two years later.

He spent a season with Hartlepool United before retiring in 2015.

Parnaby was born in Durham, County Durham and grew up supporting Middlesbrough F.C. He joined Middlesbrough's academy when he was 10, where his father, Dave Parnaby, was academy director.