A Leeds United supporter before he became one of their players, Parker's interest in the club's season was scarcely diminished by his transfer on loan to Darlington.

If anything, it returned him to his roots – he is now one of the mass of ticketless fans who yesterday brought to a standstill United's online booking service for the first leg of their play-off semi-final against Carlisle United.

Parker intends to be present at Elland Road on Monday – "I'd sit anywhere as long as I can get a seat" – but although his heart belongs in Yorkshire, his professional commitment is sworn to Darlington for at least another two matches.

The League Two club begin their own play-off semi-final at home to Rochdale tomorrow evening and Parker's anticipated involvement will give him a clearer idea of the extreme pressure which his parent club are about the come under.

His move out of Elland Road at the behest of United's manager, Gary McAllister, had the makings of a demoralising situation for Parker, but the transfer has instead worked perfectly.

McAllister wished to see Parker play regularly in Darlington's first team, something he could not allow the left-back to do immediately at Leeds.

After 13 league appearances it is a bonus for both men that Parker will now gain the additional experience of the play-offs, and that their respective seasons may conclude at Wembley.

Without the 20-year-old defender, Leeds have successfully cleared a path to the semi-finals, and even the loss of full-back Alan Sheehan to a three-match suspension did not persuade McAllister to activate the recall clause in Parker's loan agreement.

His time will come, the Scot insists, and Parker would not deny that McAllister's judgement had been convincingly vindicated.

"It was only natural that I felt a bit disappointed to be sent away from Leeds," he said. "I'd been in and out of the team under Dennis Wise but the new manager knows more about football than I do.

"I'm only a young lad and when he said that going out on loan was the best thing for me, it was my responsibility to listen.

"It was actually quite easy to be positive because Darlington wanted me and I knew they'd be a good club to join.

"I'd played against them for Leeds in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy and they seemed like a club who were moving forward. The fact that they're in the play-offs proves that.

"My aim at the start of the season was to play first-team football for Leeds. I've done that. I also wanted to get a good 20 or 30 games under my belt. I've done that as well.

"The manager says I'm part of his plans at Leeds which I'm obviously delighted about, but he said that before I left.

"I told myself as soon as I joined Darlington that, in the time I was here, I had to prove I was worth a place in Leeds United's squad. If I've done that then great, but it's not for me to say.

"Obviously I want Leeds to win the play-offs. I'm one of their players and one of their fans. But supporting Leeds is one thing – my job and my priority is to get Darlington promoted."

On two occasions, Parker's involvement in the League Two play-offs has hung by a precariously thin thread.

Sheehan's dismissal at Yeovil Town last month raised the possibility that McAllister might recall him from Darlington to provide cover at left-back – Sheehan's suspension runs until the end of the League One semi-finals – but more serious doubt was created by the red card shown to Parker during the penultimate weekend of the season.

A foul on midfielder Ben Strevens 64 minutes into Darlington's 3-2 defeat to Dagenham and Redbridge earned Parker an immediate dismissal and left him sitting in the dressing room with his head in his hands.

The defender believed he had incurred a three-match suspension and would miss the League Two semi-finals. It was only on his arrival for training the following Monday that Dave Penney, Darlington's manager, reassured him that his professional foul would bring about a one-match ban. Parker fulfilled the punishment last Saturday.

"That gave me nightmares," Parker admitted. "I sat in the changing room thinking 'you've blown the play-offs' and spent the whole weekend believing I'd shot myself in the foot.

"It was only on the Monday morning that I realised how lucky I'd been.
"I'd have been gutted to miss the play-offs because Darlington have been really good to me and I've played a lot of games here.

"I heard there might be a chance I'd been going back to Leeds when Alan (Sheehan) got his red card, but it wasn't something I concentrated on. I feel like I've got a job to finish at Darlington and it suited me to stay here.

"When pre-season starts my attention will switch to Leeds, but I've got the chance of playing at Wembley in a couple of weeks' time and that would be an incredible opportunity at my age.

"It's the sort of thing you'd look back on long after you've retired.
"Darlington aren't in the best of form at the moment, but I've felt the confidence creeping back into the squad over the past couple of weeks.

"Rochdale are maybe looking at it on paper and thinking they've got the easiest draw – I hope they do think that because they'll get a nasty surprise."

The League Two play-off final will be staged at Wembley on Monday, May 26, 24 hours after the League One equivalent, and Parker's commitments to Darlington may not give him the flexibility to attend the Sunday fixture should both clubs qualify for an appearance at the national stadium.

But Parker said: "If I can get a ticket for Elland Road for the semi-final against Carlisle then I'll definitely be there.

"I'm still a Leeds supporter whether I'm playing for them or not, and the perfect scenario for me would be to see both clubs get promoted.

"As much as I'd have liked to have stayed in the first team at Leeds, I'll benefit from the experience I've had at Darlington. It's not be a wasted season by any means."