Great Swindon Town debuts: From down-and-out to hat-trick hero, the story of Sam Parkin's summer of 2002
04.08.24, 09:13 Updated 05.06.25, 20:04 8 Minute Read
Sam Morshead
It’s hard to believe, given what happened next, but in the spring of 2002 Sam Parkin was questioning whether he was cut out for professional football.
Just 21 years old, a miserable season at Northampton Town drained both confidence and enthusiasm, to the point he was considering his future.
That year at Sixfields had generated just five goals from 46 appearances, and his arrival at Swindon Town was met less with fanfare and more fan fear. A striker who doesn’t score?
It’s just as well this was an era before social media. Can you imagine the response today?
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Sam Morshead is the founder and editor of The Moonraker. He was previously the chief sports writer at the Swindon Advertiser, head of sport at Total Swindon, and has been a Swindon Town fan since 1994.