Wakefield Trinity Parkin joined
Wakefield Trinity as an 18-year-old in 1913. He would go on to become captain of the club. Parkin played in
Wakefield Trinity's 0–6 defeat by
Hull F.C. in the
1913–14 Challenge Cup Final at
Thrum Hall,
Halifax, in front of a crowd of 19,000, He also won
caps for
Yorkshire while at Wakefield Trinity. Parkin played in
Wakefield Trinity's 9–8 victory over
Batley in the
1924–25 Yorkshire Cup Final at
Headingley,
Leeds on Saturday 22 November 1924, and played in the 3–10 defeat by
Huddersfield in the
1926–27 Yorkshire Cup Final during the
1926–27 season at
Headingley,
Leeds on Wednesday 1 December 1926. Parkin played in
Wakefield Trinity's 3–29 defeat by
Australia in the
1921–22 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain match at
Belle Vue,
Wakefield on Saturday 22 October 1921.
Hull Kingston Rovers Parkin decided he wanted to leave Wakefield Trinity in 1930, at the age of thirty-four, and he was put on the transfer list at £100 (). For some reason,
Hull Kingston Rovers couldn't, or wouldn't, find the money. So Parkin paid the fee himself to secure his release. The game's by-laws were adjusted shortly afterwards, so that no player could ever do that again. He remained with the club until his retirement in 1932.
Representative honours Parkin represented
Yorkshire in the
county championship. In 1921, he scored five tries in a game against
Cumberland, and is the only player to ever achieve this in a county match. Parkin was selected to go on the
1920 Great Britain Lions tour of
Australasia, and went on be capped 17 times for Great Britain. He was selected as captain for the 1924 and 1928 Lions tours, making him one of only three players (alongside
Harold Wagstaff and
Ellery Hanley) to be named captain on multiple tours. Parkin won
caps for England while at
Wakefield Trinity in 1921 against Wales, Other Nationalities and Australia, in 1922 against Wales, in 1923 against Wales, in 1924 against Other Nationalities, in 1925 against Wales, in 1926 against Wales and Other Nationalities, in 1927 against Wales, in 1928 against Wales (2 matches). ==Post-playing==