Daniel Parslow

Daniel James Parslow (born 11 September 1985) is a Welsh former professional footballer who played as a centre-back in the English Football League for York City and Cheltenham Town.

Parslow started his career with Cardiff City's youth system in 1998.

Having progressed through the club's centre of excellence he earned a three-year scholarship in May 2002, which turned into a one-year professional contract on its conclusion.

Parslow started his career with Cardiff City in their youth system, before signing a professional contract in 2005.

He signed for Conference National club York City a year later after being released by Cardiff.

He made an appearance for Cardiff in a 1–0 defeat by Bangor City in the FAW Premier Cup on 25 January 2005 and was included in the first-team squad for the 2005–06 season.

He did not establish himself in the team in the 2006–07 season, but played in their play-off semi-final defeat by Morecambe.

Parslow went on trial with League One club Swansea City in March 2006, before returning to Cardiff the following month after nothing materialised.

After making no appearances he was released by Cardiff on 22 May 2006.

Parslow was signed by Conference National club York City on 18 August 2006 following a successful trial.

He made his debut as a 67th-minute substitute for James Dudgeon in York's 3–0 away defeat by Crawley Town on 9 September 2006.

At different points during 2006–07 Parslow lost his place in the team to David McGurk, Jason Goodliffe and János Kovács, but started York's last seven fixtures, including both legs of the 2–1 aggregate defeat by Morecambe in the play-off semi-final.

Having finished 2006–07 with 26 appearances for York, the club exercised their option to extend his contract for 2007–08 in May 2007.

He became a regular starter during 2007–08 under the management of Colin Walker, and during 2008–09 assumed the captaincy from Mark Greaves.

Parslow missed the start of 2007–08 with an ankle injury, making his first appearance in York's third match, a 1–1 draw away to Exeter City on 20 August 2007.

He went nearly three months without starting a match when being named in the starting XI as part of a three-man central defence for York's 2–1 win away to Weymouth on 24 November 2007 in Colin Walker's first match as caretaker manager.

He established himself in the team under Walker, starting all of York's remaining matches in 2007–08.

He made 40 appearances and scored two goals in 2007–08, before York exercised their option for Parslow's contract to be extended for 2008–09 in April 2008.

Parslow scored his first career goal with the only goal in a 1–0 away win over Rushden & Diamonds in the fourth round of the FA Trophy on 23 February 2008, which came from a diving header eight yards out in the 16th minute.

He signed a new contract with York in September 2008 that contracted him to the club until June 2010.

In this season, he was named Clubman of the Year and led the team to the 2009 FA Trophy Final, in which York were beaten 2–0 by Stevenage Borough.

Parslow was replaced as captain by Michael Ingham during 2009–10, and was an unused substitute in York's 3–1 defeat by Oxford United in the 2010 Conference Premier play-off final.

He took over the captaincy when club captain Mark Greaves and vice-captain McGurk were out of the team, starting on 27 January 2009 for a 1–1 draw away to Altrincham.

Having "led by example" after attaining the captaincy, he was voted by supporters as York's Clubman of the Year for 2008–09, being presented the award before their penultimate home match against Eastbourne Borough on 18 April 2009.

He started in the 2009 FA Trophy Final at Wembley Stadium on 9 May 2009, which York lost 2–0 to Stevenage Borough.

Ahead of the Trophy final, he was rested for the final league match away to Lewes on 26 April 2009; this was the only match he missed in 2008–09, which he finished with 57 appearances.

Parslow and McGurk were appointed as club captains for 2009–10, although Parslow would continue to wear the armband in matches.

He made 41 appearances for York in 2009–10.

He won his second Clubman of the Year award in 2010–11, having appeared in all of York's matches that season.

He signed a new contract with York in January 2010 to tie him to the club until June 2012.

He played in the team as a centre-back and right-back before losing his place to Ben Purkiss after picking up a foot injury in York's 2–1 away defeat to Forest Green Rovers on 6 March 2010, with the captain's armband being handed to Michael Ingham.

He made his return in York's 1–0 away defeat by Stevenage in the last league match of 2009–10 on 24 April 2010, but was dropped to the bench for the play-off semi-final 1–0 victory at home to Luton Town.

Parslow appeared as a 90-minute substitute in the second leg 1–0 away win, with the tie ending 2–0 on aggregate.

However, he was an unused substitute for the 3–1 defeat by Oxford United at Wembley Stadium in the 2010 Conference Premier play-off final.

Parslow was a member of the York team that won the 2012 FA Trophy Final and 2012 Conference Premier play-off final in 2011–12, with victory in the latter seeing the club promoted into League Two after eight years out of the Football League.

He missed only one match in 2012–13, in which he won the Clubman of the Year award for an unprecedented third time.

Parslow was out injured for most of 2013–14, and was on loan with Conference Premier club Grimsby Town during 2014–15, playing in their penalty shoot-out defeat in the 2015 Conference Premier play-off final.

He signed for Cheltenham Town of the National League in 2015, and was part of the team that earned promotion into League Two by winning the divisional title in 2015–16.

He returned to York, initially on loan, in 2017 and helped them win in the 2017 FA Trophy Final.

Parslow retired from playing in 2019 because of a head injury.