Parker started his professional football career playing for Thanda Royal Zulu in the Premier Soccer League, where he made 70 appearances before a one-year loan to Serbian side Red Star Belgrade.

He joined Eredivisie side FC Twente in 2009, where he spent a season and a half before being loaned out to Panserraikos in the Greek Super League.

He was awarded the 2013–14 Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot and won two league titles, the Nedbank Cup and the MTN 8 with the South African club.

A product of the School of Excellence, Parker made his debut in the professional ranks for Cape Town's Hellenic FC, later bought and renamed Benoni Premier United.

After Twente manager Steve McClaren's move to Bundesliga, Parker failed to convince new coach Michel Preud'homme of his qualities and thus spent the first half of the 2010–11 Dutch season mostly on the bench.

On 16 June 2013, Parker scored an own goal in a 2–1 defeat to Ethiopia which ended South Africa's chances of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup.

[15] Parker also scored by chipping the ball over Víctor Valdés in the 56th minute in a 1–0 shock win over the then-world and European champions Spain at Soccer City, where it won the World Cup in 2010.