SCOTT PARKER'S PLAYING CAREER

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A closer in-depth look at the new Head Coach’s playing background

2024-07-06T10:00:00.000Z

SCOTT PARKER'S PLAYING CAREER

A closer in-depth look at the new Head Coach’s playing background

2024-07-06T10:00:00.000Z

A closer in-depth look at the new Head Coach’s playing background

Born in Lambeth, Parker began his early football career with Charlton Athletic after joining the Addicks’ academy set-up in 1990 aged 10.

After progressing through the ranks, the midfielder made his first team debut for Charlton in a First Division clash with Bury in August 1997 before signing his first professional deal two months later.

Although Parker was impressing the Premier League side, which saw him earn call-ups to England’s U16, U18 and U21 set-up, the exciting prospect was loaned to First Division side Norwich City in October 2000 for two months to gain regular first team football.

Upon return to the Valley from his spell with the Canaries, Parker was instantly brought into the starting XI and remained there for the next three seasons in the Premier League winning the club’s ‘Young Player of the Year’ award and ‘Player of the Year’ award.

The centre-midfielder racked up nearly 150 games for the Addicks over seven years and earnt a first England senior cap in November 2003, after coming on for Wayne Rooney in a clash with Denmark, before leaving Charlton in January 2004 to join Chelsea.

Parker made his Blues debut in a 3-2 win at Blackburn Rovers and then scored his first goal for the Club a week later against Portsmouth, before being named PFA Young Player of the Year at the end of that season.

Competing for a space in Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea side with Frank Lampard and Claude Makelele alongside a metatarsal bone injury, saw regular gametime limited at Stamford Bridge for Parker in the 2004/05 campaign, which eventually saw the midfielder depart in the summer of 2005 to join Newcastle United after 18 months in West London.

After making his United debut in an Intertoto Cup tie with Deportivo, Parker quickly became a regular in the starting XI at St James’ Park. His first goal came against former side Charlton, as Parker’s 32 appearances helped the Magpies secure a 7th place finish.

Ahead of Parker’s second campaign, he was named Newcastle captain after succeeding the retired Alan Shearer and played all but nine league games in his final season in the North East, prior to his move to West Ham United in July 2007.

An injury delayed the midfielder’s action to the new season with his first league appearance coming at the end of September against Arsenal and his first Hammers goal followed three months later in a 2-1 victory against Middlesbrough.

The following campaign saw Parker influence United’s midfield and help the side seal a 9th place finish in the Premier League, which also saw him win the ‘Hammer of the Year’ for 2008/09 with the England international going on to win the individual award for the following two years.

A West Ham fan favourite, Parker racked up over 100 games and 12 goals for the London club across four seasons before earning a move to Tottenham Hotspur on transfer deadline day ahead of the 2011/12 campaign.

Making an instant impact on his Spurs debut with an assist for an Emmanuel Adebayor goal in a win against Wolves, Parker’s impressive start with the Lilywhites saw him feature in England’s fixtures across September, October and November which saw the Londoner named ‘England Player of the Year’ for 2011.

An outstanding first campaign at White Hart Lane earnt the central-midfielder Tottenham’s ‘Player of the Year’ award and was also named in the PFA’s Premier League ‘Team of the Year’ ahead of travelling to the Euro’s in the summer with the Three Lions.

Parker started in all four of England’s Euro’s fixtures partnering Steven Gerrard in midfield, with Roy Hodgson’s side knocked out by Italy at the quarter-final stage.

Another injury hampered the in-form star’s start to the 2012/13 campaign with Spurs and he eventually moved on to Fulham in the summer of 2013.

Appointed skipper for the Cottagers, Parker played over 100 times for Fulham across his four years before retiring from a marvellous playing career in June 2017.

This announcement is sponsored by Football Manager.