Scott Matthew Parker (born 13 October 1980) is an English professional
football coach and former player. He was most recently the manager of
Club Brugge.
Parker began his career at
Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, south-east London, which compete in . Their home ground is The Valley, where the club have played since 1919. They have also played at The Mount in ...
, and was loaned to
Norwich City
Norwich City Football Club (also known as The Canaries or The Yellows) is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. The club competes in the EFL Championship following their relegation from the Premier League in the 20 ...
, before joining
Chelsea
Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to:
Places Australia
* Chelsea, Victoria
Canada
* Chelsea, Nova Scotia
* Chelsea, Quebec
United Kingdom
* Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames
** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...
for a £10 million fee in January 2004. He did not play regularly at Chelsea, and moved to
Newcastle United the following year, where he was made captain. Parker joined
West Ham United
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club that plays its home matches in Stratford, East London. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. The club plays at the London Stadium, hav ...
in 2007, and was the
FWA Footballer of the Year
The Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year (often called the FWA Footballer of the Year, or in England simply the Footballer of the Year) is an annual award given to the player who is adjudged to have been the best of the season in ...
for the 2010–11 season despite the club being relegated. He was then signed by
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, commonly referred to as Tottenham () or Spurs, is a professional football club based in Tottenham, London, England. It competes in the Premier League, the top flight of English football. The team has playe ...
and joined
Fulham in 2013. He would play 119 league matches for Fulham in both the Premier League and the
Championship
In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion.
Championship systems
Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship.
Title match system
In this system ...
, before retiring at the end of the
2016–17 season.
Parker has represented England at every level from
under-16 to senior, making his full debut in 2003. Uniquely, he won his first four England caps while playing for four different clubs.
[ Parker was a member of the England team which reached the quarter-finals at ]UEFA Euro 2012
The 2012 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2012 or simply Euro 2012, was the 14th UEFA European Championship, European Championship for List of men's national association football teams#UEFA (Europe), men's ...
.
Parker was appointed caretaker manager of Fulham in February 2019, and hired on a permanent basis that summer. In his first season in charge, he guided them to promotion to the Premier League after winning the Championship play-offs, but they were relegated back the following season. He then left to join AFC Bournemouth in 2021, and again won promotion from the Championship in his first season. After a 9–0 loss to Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...
in the club's fourth league game of the season, he was dismissed, and then hired by Club Brugge from which he was sacked after 12 games, in March 2023.
Early life
Parker was born in Lambeth, Greater London, and attended Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College
Haberdashers' Hatcham College (formerly Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College) is a state secondary school with academy status and a music specialism located in New Cross. The school was formerly a grammar school, then a comprehensive City Tec ...
in New Cross
New Cross is an area in south east London, England, south-east of Charing Cross in the London Borough of Lewisham and the SE14 postcode district. New Cross is near St Johns, Telegraph Hill, Nunhead, Peckham, Brockley, Deptford and Greenwic ...
. As a 13-year-old, he appeared in a well-known English advert for McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is an American multinational fast food chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechristened their business as a hambur ...
, in which he played keepie uppie
Keepie uppie, keep-ups or kick-ups is the skill of juggling with an association football using feet, lower legs, knees, chest, shoulders, and head, without allowing the ball to hit the ground. It is similar to Kemari, a game formerly practiced in ...
, during the 1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup was the 15th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national soccer teams. It was hosted by the United States and took place from June 17 to July 17, 1994, at nine venues across the country. The United States ...
campaign. Parker is a graduate of The Football Association
The Football Association (also known as The FA) is the governing body of association football in England and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. Formed in 1863, it is the oldest football association in the world a ...
's now-defunct national School of Excellence at Lilleshall
Lilleshall is a village and civil parish in the county of Shropshire, England.
It lies between the towns of Telford and Newport, on the A518, in the Telford and Wrekin borough and the Wrekin constituency. There is one school in the centre of ...
.
Club career
Charlton Athletic
After graduating from Lilleshall, Parker signed for Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, south-east London, which compete in . Their home ground is The Valley, where the club have played since 1919. They have also played at The Mount in ...
as a trainee and made his first-team debut as a substitute against Bury
Bury may refer to:
*The burial of human remains
*-bury, a suffix in English placenames
Places England
* Bury, Cambridgeshire, a village
* Bury, Greater Manchester, a town, historically in Lancashire
** Bury (UK Parliament constituency) (1832–19 ...
in the First Division on 23 August 1997, a match which ended 0–0. He signed his first professional contract with the club two months later. Over the next couple of years he made only a few sporadic substitute appearances for Charlton, although he was one of the brightest prospects in English football. In October 2000, Charlton, then in the Premier League
The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Fo ...
, loaned Parker to First Division club Norwich City
Norwich City Football Club (also known as The Canaries or The Yellows) is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. The club competes in the EFL Championship following their relegation from the Premier League in the 20 ...
for two months to give the England under-21 international some first-team experience. At Norwich he scored once against Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club is a professional association football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The team competes in League One, the third tier of the English football league system. Formed in 1867 as an offshoot ...
. On his return to The Valley, Parker was immediately called into the first team to replace injured captain Mark Kinsella
Mark Anthony Kinsella (born 12 August 1972) is an Irish football manager and former player, currently a coach at Drogheda United after previously being both the manager and assistant manager. He played as a central midfielder for most of his ...
. Parker played so well for Charlton that, upon his return from injury, Kinsella could not regain his place in the starting line-up. Parker soon became the linchpin of Charlton's midfield, combining tenacious tackling with an ability to carry the ball quickly from defence to attack and play telling passes, creating many chances for his teammates.
Chelsea
Parker, who had been consistently linked with moves away from Charlton for several years, finally left the Valley on 30 January 2004 to join Chelsea
Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to:
Places Australia
* Chelsea, Victoria
Canada
* Chelsea, Nova Scotia
* Chelsea, Quebec
United Kingdom
* Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames
** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...
on a four-and-a-half-year contract for a £10 million fee. Alan Curbishley
Llewellyn Charles "Alan" Curbishley (born 8 November 1957) is an English former football player and manager. He played as a midfielder for West Ham United, Birmingham City, Aston Villa, Charlton Athletic and Brighton & Hove Albion and has worke ...
, the Charlton manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business.
Management includes the activities ...
, criticised his attitude following news of Chelsea's interest, accusing him of bad behaviour and saying that "...his conduct in training has not been what it should have been." Parker was initially signed as cover for Claude Makélélé
Claude Makélélé Sinda (born 18 February 1973) is a French football manager and former professional player who played as a defensive midfielder. He is currently a youth coach and technical mentor at Chelsea, having formerly been the head co ...
and Frank Lampard
Frank James Lampard (born 20 June 1978) is an English professional football manager and former player who is the manager of club Everton. He is widely regarded as one of Chelsea’s greatest ever players, and one of the greatest midfielder ...
, but did not get too many chances to play in his preferred position. He scored his only goal for Chelsea in a 2–0 win against Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council.
Portsmouth is the most dens ...
at Fratton Park on 11 February. At the end of the 2003–04 season, Parker was named as the PFA Young Player of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year (often called the PFA Young Player of the Year, or simply the Young Player of the Year) is an annual award given to the young player who is adjudged to have been the best of the s ...
.
Following the summer signings of Arjen Robben
Arjen Robben (; born 23 January 1984) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a winger. He was known for his dribbling skills, speed, ball control and long-range shots. Robben is regarded as one of the best players of his gener ...
and Tiago Mendes
Tiago Cardoso Mendes (; born 2 May 1981), known simply as Tiago, is a Portuguese football manager and former player who played as a midfielder.
He played professionally in five of Europe's major leagues, Portugal, England, France, Italy and S ...
, Parker's first-team opportunities were limited during 2004–05. Although he found first-team opportunities hard to come by at Chelsea, he was a regular starter in Chelsea's League Cup matches, a competition where he played in three consecutive victories against West Ham, Newcastle and Fulham. His problems were compounded when he broke a metatarsal bone in a match against his former club, Norwich City. Due to this injury, Parker missed both legs of the League Cup semi-final against Manchester United and the final
Final, Finals or The Final may refer to:
* Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which decides a winner for an event
** Another term for playoffs, describing a sequence of con ...
against Liverpool, although he took part in the celebrations.
Newcastle United
Parker was sold the following summer, moving to Newcastle United in July 2005 for a £6.5 million fee. He became a regular in the Newcastle first team and was one of the few players at the club to show any consistency during an often difficult season in which Newcastle finished in seventh place, despite having a very poor start under Graeme Souness
Graeme James Souness (; born 6 May 1953) is a Scottish former professional football player and manager, and current TV pundit.
A midfielder, Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s, player-manager of Ranger ...
. His first Newcastle goal came against his former club Charlton in a 3–1 defeat on 25 March 2006. Later that month he was diagnosed with glandular fever, putting an end to his season. The timing was especially unfortunate for Parker, who had been playing well for Newcastle, as it ended any hopes he may have had of forcing his way into the 2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup, also branded as Germany 2006, was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which had won the right to host th ...
.
In July 2006, he was named Newcastle United's new captain by manager Glenn Roeder
Glenn Victor Roeder (13 December 1955 – 28 February 2021) was an English professional football player and manager.
As a player, Roeder played as a defender for Arsenal, Leyton Orient, Queens Park Rangers, Notts County, Newcastle United, Watfo ...
, succeeding the retired Alan Shearer. His first goal as captain came against Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic Football Club () is an English professional association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. The team competes in the Championship, the second tier of the English football league system.
Founded in 1932, ...
on 19 August 2006, in a 2–1 win on the first day of the season. Parker scored his second goal of the season against Fulham in September 2006, but after he was substituted Newcastle conceded 2 goals and subsequently lost the match. Despite Newcastle's poor form, his performances earned him a recall to the England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
squad in September after an absence of more than two years. In November, Parker scored a goal in the 116th minute against Watford
Watford () is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, 15 miles northwest of Central London, on the River Colne.
Initially a small market town, the Grand Junction Canal encouraged the construction of paper-making mills, print works, and ...
in the League Cup
In several sports, most prominently association football, a league cup or secondary cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in a particular league. The first national association football tournament t ...
and then scored in the penalty shoot-out to allow Newcastle to progress in the competition. He scored his fourth goal of 2006–07 against Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, commonly referred to as Tottenham () or Spurs, is a professional football club based in Tottenham, London, England. It competes in the Premier League, the top flight of English football. The team has playe ...
in December 2006.
Scott Parker was found to be the second best player in the country for December 2006 by Sky Sports
Sky Sports is a group of British subscription sports channels operated by the satellite pay television company Sky Group (a division of Comcast), and is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It ...
and Opta Index. He led Newcastle on their way to UEFA Intertoto Cup victory and was presented with the Intertoto Cup plaque in March 2007 before the UEFA Cup
A cup is an open-top used to hold hot or cold liquids for pouring or drinking; while mainly used for drinking, it also can be used to store solids for pouring (e.g., sugar, flour, grains, salt). Cups may be made of glass, metal, china, clay ...
first-leg tie with AZ.
West Ham United
In June 2007, West Ham United
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club that plays its home matches in Stratford, East London. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. The club plays at the London Stadium, hav ...
signed Scott Parker for a £7 million fee. Due to injury, he did not make his first-team debut until 26 September 2007 in the 1–0 League Cup victory against Plymouth Argyle. His full Premier League debut came on 29 September 2007 in the 1–0 home defeat to Arsenal, a match which saw Parker sustaining another injury and being substituted for Hayden Mullins
Hayden Ian Mullins (born 27 March 1979) is an English former professional footballer and current manager. He played primarily as a defensive midfielder, but he also played as a sweeper and at right-back. He was most recently the head coach at ...
at half-time. Parker scored his first goal for West Ham, a last-minute winner in the 2–1 win at Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough ( ) is a town on the southern bank of the River Tees in North Yorkshire, England. It is near the North York Moors national park. It is the namesake and main town of its local borough council area.
Until the early 1800s, the a ...
on 22 December 2007.
In 2008–09, Parker played a major part of West Ham's season and on 24 May 2009 was voted Hammer of the Year
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club that plays its home matches in Stratford, East London. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. The club plays at the London Stadium, hav ...
, by the club's supporters. and became the first player since Julian Dicks
Julian Andrew Dicks (born 8 August 1968) is an English football coach and former footballer who is assistant manager of EFL Championship side Watford.
Playing from 1985 until 2002, he was a defender, notably in the Premier League for West ...
in 1997 to retain the award after winning again on 4 May 2010.
He was again one of West Ham's key players in 2009–10, scoring the winning goal in a vital 3–2 win against Wigan Athletic, which ensured another season of Premier League football for West Ham.
In July 2010, West Ham chairman David Sullivan stated that Parker was not for sale to another club at any price. This came after a bid from Tottenham Hotspur and also public interest from Aston Villa. In September 2010 Parker signed a new, five-year, contract with West Ham which also made him the highest paid player in the club's history.
Parker scored three goals in his first six appearances in 2010–11. His goals came in matches against Oxford United
Oxford United Football Club is a professional football club in the city of Oxford, England. The team plays in League One, the third tier of the English football league system. The chairman is Grant Ferguson, the manager is Karl Robinson and t ...
, Chelsea, and Stoke City. He is widely regarded as one of the most consistent English midfielders over the last few years. There were calls from England supporters and Avram Grant for the midfielder to be included in England's squad and feature on a regular basis.
On 12 February Carlton Cole praised Scott Parker's "inspirational" pep talk at half time after, being 3–0 down, West Ham earned a 3–3 draw against West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion Football Club () is an English professional football club based in West Bromwich, West Midlands, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. The club was formed in 1878 and has pl ...
. Cole was quoted as saying of the talk "If you were there you would have had a tear in your eye". Parker was named Premier League Player of the Month
The Premier League Player of the Month is an association football award that recognises the best adjudged Premier League player each month of the season. The winner is chosen by a combination of an online public vote, which contributes to 10 ...
for February 2011 following his performances in West Ham's 3–1 wins over Blackpool and Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...
. Following his performances for West Ham despite their relegation, and his England recall, Parker was placed on the six-strong shortlist for the prestigious PFA Players' Player of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Men's Players' Player of the Year (often called the PFA Men's Players' Player of the Year, the Players' Player of the Year, or simply the Player of the Year) is an annual award given to the player who is ...
Award. He missed out on the PFA award but was named the FWA Footballer of the Year
The Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year (often called the FWA Footballer of the Year, or in England simply the Footballer of the Year) is an annual award given to the player who is adjudged to have been the best of the season in ...
.
Parker started the first four matches of 2011–12 for West Ham United in the Championship
In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion.
Championship systems
Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship.
Title match system
In this system ...
and scored his first goal of the season, and tenth league goal for the club against Watford on 16 August 2011.
Amid speculation that Tottenham Hotspur would sign the player, Parker handed West Ham co-owner David Gold a hand written transfer request, saying "I have had a fantastic four years at West Ham United and will never forget all the support I have had from the fans and everyone associated with the club."
"The manager and board have tried hard to convince me to stay but at this stage in my career, I need to be playing in the Premier League, especially now that I am involved with England."
"I hope the fans will understand and respect my decision and I wish the club every success in their fight for promotion this season."
Tottenham Hotspur
On 31 August 2011, Tottenham and West Ham both announced the transfer of Parker to Spurs, with the fee believed to be £5.5 million. Tottenham said "We are delighted to announce that we have reached agreement with West Ham United for the permanent transfer of Scott Parker." With Scott Parker playing for Tottenham Hotspur, it meant that he was the only player to represent clubs in North, East, South and West London in the Premier League. On 10 September 2011 Parker made his Spurs' debut, providing an assist for fellow debutant Emmanuel Adebayor
Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor (; born 26 February 1984) is a Togolese professional footballer who plays as a striker for Togolese Championnat National club Semassi. He previously played for English clubs Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham Ho ...
. He made his home debut the following week in a 4–0 win over Liverpool. Parker finished his first four matches for Tottenham on the winning team. He captained them in a 2–1 away win over Blackburn on 23 October. Parker finished his first season at Tottenham being named as their Player of the Year for the 2011–12 season. Parker was injured on international duty before the start of 2012–13 and did not make his first appearance of the season until 16 December as a 90th-minute substitute.
American journalist William Saletan
William Saletan is an American writer for '' The Bulwark''.
Background and education
Saletan, a Jewish native of La Porte, Texas, graduated from Swarthmore College in 1987.
Journalism
Abortion and contraception
Saletan has written extensivel ...
had high praise for Parker's defensive skills after seeing the QPR match in person at White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane was a football stadium in Tottenham, North London and the home of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club from 1899 to 2017. Its capacity varied over the years; when changed to all-seater it had a capacity of 36,284 before demolition. ...
. "Parker doesn't score or get credited with assists. He leaves that to the guys up front," he wrote.
Fulham
On 19 August 2013, Parker signed a three-year contract with Fulham, for an undisclosed fee. On 23 November 2013, Parker was made captain for the match against Swansea City in the absence of Brede Hangeland
Brede Paulsen Hangeland (born 20 June 1981) is a Norwegian former professional footballer who played as a central defender.
He began his career with Viking, where he won the Norwegian Cup in 2001. In 2006, he moved to Copenhagen, and went on to ...
, and scored his first goal for them in the 2–1 loss at Craven Cottage
Craven Cottage is a football ground in Fulham, West London, England, which has been the home of Fulham F.C. since 1896.According to the club'official website The ground's capacity is 22,384; the record attendance is 49,335, for a game against ...
. Fulham were relegated at the end of the season. Parker retired from playing in June 2017.
International career
Parker has represented England at every level from under-16 to the senior team. He earned nine caps for the England under-21 team.
Parker's international debut for the senior England team came on 16 November 2003 when he came on in the 66th minute as a substitute replacing Wayne Rooney
Wayne Mark Rooney (born 24 October 1985) is an English professional football manager and former player, who is the manager of Major League Soccer club D.C. United in the United States. He spent much of his playing career as a forward while ...
in a 3–2 defeat against Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark
, establish ...
.
His form earned him a place in the starting line-up for England's European Championships qualifier away to Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
on 11 October 2006. In a 3–5–2 formation Parker was restricted to tracking back and covering due to the attacking players in the team like Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard. England boss Steve McClaren
Stephen McClaren (born 3 May 1961) is an English former professional footballer and coach who currently serves as an assistant coach for Premier League club Manchester United, in his second spell at the club.
McClaren began his coaching caree ...
specifically told Parker to chase the wingers and assist the two wing backs, Gary Neville
Gary Alexander Neville (born 18 February 1975) is an English football pundit and former player. He is also a co-owner of English Football League club Salford City. After retiring from football in 2011, Neville went into punditry and was a comm ...
and Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole (born 20 December 1980) is an English football coach and former player who is currently a first-team coach at Premier League club Everton. As a player, he played as a left-back, most notably for Arsenal and Chelsea. Cole is cons ...
. England lost 2–0 and Parker would not feature again for England for four-and-a-half years.
On 11 May 2010, Parker was revealed to be among manager Fabio Capello's 30-man preliminary squad list for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
, image = 2010 FIFA World Cup.svg
, size = 200px
, caption = ''Ke Nako. (Tswana and Sotho for "It's time") Celebrate Africa's Humanity'It's time. Celebrate Africa's Humanity'' (English)''Dis tyd. Vier Afrika se mensd ...
. However, he was not included in the final 23-man squad.
Parker came on as a second-half substitute for Frank Lampard in a friendly against Denmark on 9 February 2011 to become the first player to receive his first four full caps whilst playing for four teams. On 26 March that year, he played in the Millennium Stadium against Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
in the qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2012
The 2012 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2012 or simply Euro 2012, was the 14th UEFA European Championship, European Championship for List of men's national association football teams#UEFA (Europe), men's ...
and was recognised as one of England's top players in the victory, acting as a holding midfielder in Capello's newly adopted 4–3–3 formation.
On 12 November 2011, Parker was named man of the match in a friendly against UEFA Euro 2008
The 2008 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2008 or simply Euro 2008, was the 13th UEFA European Championship, a quadrennial football tournament contested by the member nations of UEFA (the Union of European ...
and 2010 FIFA World Cup winners Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
in the 1–0 win. Parker captained England on 29 February 2012 in their 2–3 defeat by the Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
at Wembley
Wembley () is a large suburbIn British English, "suburb" often refers to the secondary urban centres of a city. Wembley is not a suburb in the American sense, i.e. a single-family residential area outside of the city itself. in north-west Londo ...
.
Following Roy Hodgson's appointment as England manager, Parker was selected as part of England's UEFA Euro 2012 preliminary squad and was kept in for the final 23-man squad. He started all four of England's matches, helping the team top their group with wins against Sweden and Ukraine and a draw with France before they were knocked out in the quarter finals by Italy.
His final cap came in March 2013, in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification match against San Marino, coming on as a substitute for Frank Lampard
Frank James Lampard (born 20 June 1978) is an English professional football manager and former player who is the manager of club Everton. He is widely regarded as one of Chelsea’s greatest ever players, and one of the greatest midfielder ...
.
Style of play
Parker was known as a tough tackling central midfielder.
On the international stage, Parker had been among the notable England players to have been criticised and panned for their hard-working but less technical style of play. Overlooked for major tournaments such as UEFA Euro 2004
The 2004 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as Euro 2004, was the 12th edition of the UEFA European Championship, a quadrennial football competition contested by the men's national teams of UEFA member associations. The ...
and the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Parker was during 2012 a regular presence in the line-up, being partnered with Steven Gerrard. Although England had a relatively disappointing Euro 2012 campaign, some viewed the partnership of Parker and Gerrard as one of the positives.
Managerial career
Fulham
2018–19: First-team coach and caretaker manager
Shortly after his retirement from playing, Parker returned to Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, commonly referred to as Tottenham () or Spurs, is a professional football club based in Tottenham, London, England. It competes in the Premier League, the top flight of English football. The team has playe ...
, coaching their under-18 squad, as well as being announced as a club ambassador. In July 2018, Parker left Tottenham to return to Fulham, who had just gained promotion back to the Premier League
The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Fo ...
, serving as first-team coach, linking up with former manager Slaviša Jokanović
Slaviša Jokanović ( sr-Cyrl, Славиша Јокановић, ; born 16 August 1968) is a Serbian professional football manager and former player. He is the manager of Russian club Dynamo Moscow.
A physical player considered strong in the a ...
. He was retained in his coaching position after Claudio Ranieri
Claudio Ranieri Grande Ufficiale OMRI (; born 20 October 1951) is an Italian football manager and former player. He will be the new head coach of club Cagliari from 1 January 2023.
Ranieri began his managerial career in the lower leagues in ...
was brought in to replace a dismissed Jokanović that November.
Ranieri was dismissed on 28 February 2019, having overseen no improvement to the teams results, leaving the club in a relegation battle. Parker was then appointed as caretaker manager that same day, the club now sat nineteenth in the Premier League table. He took charge of the team for the first time three days later, where they lost 2–1 to visitors Chelsea
Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to:
Places Australia
* Chelsea, Victoria
Canada
* Chelsea, Nova Scotia
* Chelsea, Quebec
United Kingdom
* Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames
** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...
. Fulham were relegated to the Championship
In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion.
Championship systems
Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship.
Title match system
In this system ...
after a disappointing returning league campaign, their relegation confirmed after a 4–1 thrashing by Watford
Watford () is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, 15 miles northwest of Central London, on the River Colne.
Initially a small market town, the Grand Junction Canal encouraged the construction of paper-making mills, print works, and ...
, with five games remaining.
2019–21: Premier League promotion and relegation
After speculation arose over who would replace Ranieri on a permanent basis following relegation, chairman Shahid Khan appointed Parker as manager permanently on a two-year contract. Parker was able to retain the majority of his players, despite relegation, with star striker Aleksandar Mitrović
Aleksandar Mitrović ( sr-Cyrl, Александар Митровић, (); born 16 September 1994) is a Serbian professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Striker (association football), striker for club Fulham F.C., Fulham a ...
signing a new contract during the summer. During his first season in charge, the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
resulted in all English sport being suspended from March until June 2020; Fulham ultimately finished the season in fourth place, missing out on automatic promotion by two points, thus qualifying to the promotion play-offs
Promotion may refer to:
Marketing
* Promotion (marketing), one of the four marketing mix elements, comprising any type of marketing communication used to inform or persuade target audiences of the relative merits of a product, service, brand or i ...
. After defeating Cardiff City over two legs in the semi-finals
A single-elimination, knockout, or sudden death tournament is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match-up is immediately eliminated from the tournament. Each winner will play another in the next round, until the final matc ...
, they beat Brentford in the play-off final to achieve promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
Fulham's return to the Premier League however did not begin smoothly: they lost their first four games and failed to win until November, when they beat relegation rivals West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion Football Club () is an English professional football club based in West Bromwich, West Midlands, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. The club was formed in 1878 and has pl ...
2–0 at Craven Cottage
Craven Cottage is a football ground in Fulham, West London, England, which has been the home of Fulham F.C. since 1896.According to the club'official website The ground's capacity is 22,384; the record attendance is 49,335, for a game against ...
. Towards the end of the 2020–21 season, Parker reportedly became a surprise contender for the Tottenham Hotspur managerial vacancy, after José Mourinho was dismissed, but he remained at the club. Parker's side were relegated to the Championship once again in May 2021 after suffering defeat to Burnley
Burnley () is a town and the administrative centre of the wider Borough of Burnley in Lancashire, England, with a 2001 population of 73,021. It is north of Manchester and east of Preston, Lancashire, Preston, at the confluence of the River C ...
, who were above them in the Premier League table. Following relegation, Parker said that Fulham must try to break the cycle of relegation and promotion and establish themselves in the top flight. On 28 June, the club announced that Parker had left by mutual consent.
AFC Bournemouth
The same day his departure from Fulham was finalised, Parker was appointed as head coach of AFC Bournemouth, replacing Jonathan Woodgate on a three-year contract. After guiding the club to 13 points from a possible 15, Parker was awarded the league's Manager of the Month award for September 2021.[ ] Parker won the award again in October after leading Bournemouth to five wins in five matches, conceding just one goal in the process.[ ] Parker guided Bournemouth to promotion back to the Premier League after two years away in his first season as manager. The side finished as runners-up to Fulham sealing second place on 3 May, with one game remaining in the season, with a 1–0 win against fourth-placed Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an association football club based in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England. Nottingham Forest was founded in 1865 and have been playing their home games at the City Ground, on the banks of the River Tren ...
.
Bournemouth won their first game back in the top flight, defeating Aston Villa 2–0 at home on 6 August. After that win, the team lost its next three games by an aggregate score of 16–0, losing 4–0 to Manchester City, 3–0 to Arsenal, before a 9–0 loss away at Liverpool on 27 August, a joint-record for the largest score margin in Premier League history. Following the Liverpool match, Parker expressed his frustrations with the club's transfer policy, stating they were currently "unequipped" for the Premier League. Three days after the Liverpool match, Bournemouth announced they had parted company with Parker.
Club Brugge
On 31 December 2022, Parker was appointed manager of Belgian champions Club Brugge, succeeding Carl Hoefkens
Carl Hoefkens (; born 6 October 1978) is a Belgian former professional footballer who played as a defender. He is the manager of Belgian Pro League club Club Brugge.
Club career
Early career
Born in Lier, Belgium, Hoefkens started his career ...
at a team in fourth place and 12 points off the lead. His first game on 8 January was a 3–1 loss at leaders Genk
Genk () is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. The municipality only comprises the town of Genk itself. It is one of the most important industrial towns in Flanders, located on the Albert Canal, ...
in the Pro League. Parker inherited a team that had reached the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League (abbreviated as UCL, or sometimes, UEFA CL) is an annual club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and contested by top-division European clubs, deciding the competi ...
, where his team lost 7–1 on aggregate to S.L. Benfica
Sport Lisboa e Benfica (), commonly known as Benfica, is a professional football club based in Lisbon, Portugal, that competes in the Primeira Liga, the top flight of Portuguese football.
Founded on 28 February 1904 as ''Sport Lisboa'', Be ...
. On 8 March, the day after the 5–1 second leg defeat at the Estádio da Luz
The Estádio da Luz (), officially named Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica, is a multi-purpose stadium located in Lisbon, Portugal. It is used mostly for association football matches, hosting the home games of Portuguese club S.L. Benfica, it ...
, and having won twice in 12 overall games to fall to 21 points off the lead, he was dismissed.
Personal life
Parker is the brother-in-law of footballer Harry Arter
Harry Nicholas Arter (born 28 December 1989) is a professional footballer who plays as a central or defensive midfielder for club Nottingham Forest.
He began his career at Charlton Athletic, progressing through the club's youth academy befor ...
, whom he managed at Fulham. Parker married Arter's sister, Carly, when he was 20. The couple have four sons.
Career statistics
Club
International
Managerial statistics
Honours
Player
Charlton Athletic
* Football League First Division: 1999–2000
Newcastle United
* UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2006
Individual
* Charlton Athletic Player of the Year: 2002–03
*Charlton Athletic Young Player of the Year: 1998–99[
*]PFA Young Player of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year (often called the PFA Young Player of the Year, or simply the Young Player of the Year) is an annual award given to the young player who is adjudged to have been the best of the s ...
: 2003–04
* West Ham United Hammer of the Year: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. ...
*Premier League Player of the Month
The Premier League Player of the Month is an association football award that recognises the best adjudged Premier League player each month of the season. The winner is chosen by a combination of an online public vote, which contributes to 10 ...
: February 2011, November 2011
*FWA Footballer of the Year
The Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year (often called the FWA Footballer of the Year, or in England simply the Footballer of the Year) is an annual award given to the player who is adjudged to have been the best of the season in ...
: 2010–11
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. ...
[
*]England Player of the Year
The FA England Awards is an award ceremony hosted by The Football Association. The inaugural edition took place on 3 February 2003, although The FA Women's Football Awards started in 1999.
Senior Men's Player of the Year
The Senior Men's Player ...
: 2011
* PFA Team of the Year: 2011–12 Premier League
The 2011–12 Premier League (known as the Barclays Premier League for sponsorship reasons) was the 20th season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The season began on 13 August 2011 and ended on 13 May 2012 with Manchester Ci ...
Manager
Fulham
* EFL Championship play-offs: 2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in t ...
AFC Bournemouth
* EFL Championship runner-up: 2021–22[
Individual
* EFL Championship Manager of the Month: September 2021,] October 2021
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Parker, Scott
1980 births
Living people
Footballers from Lambeth
English men's footballers
Men's association football midfielders
Charlton Athletic F.C. players
Norwich City F.C. players
Chelsea F.C. players
Newcastle United F.C. players
West Ham United F.C. players
Tottenham Hotspur F.C. players
Fulham F.C. players
English Football League players
Premier League players
England men's youth international footballers
England men's under-21 international footballers
England men's international footballers
UEFA Euro 2012 players
English football managers
Fulham F.C. managers
AFC Bournemouth managers
Club Brugge KV managers
Premier League managers
English Football League managers
Belgian Pro League managers
Association football coaches
Tottenham Hotspur F.C. non-playing staff
Fulham F.C. non-playing staff
English expatriate football managers
Expatriate football managers in Belgium
English expatriate sportspeople in Belgium