Ray Parlour has opened up about rising up in a West Ham family – and the way his dad reacted to him scoring at Upton Park.
Parlour turned out greater than 450 instances for Arsenal throughout a 13-year profession in north London, profitable the Premier League 3 times and including 4 FA Cups, together with his memorable opener within the 2002 FA Cup last win over Chelsea sealing a Double and taking place in membership folklore.
In 2004 Parlour, who additionally added 10 England caps to his CV, moved to Middlesbrough for two-and-a-half seasons, earlier than closing out his profession with a brief spell at Hull Metropolis , which means he by no means bought the prospect to prove for his boyhood crew.
Ray Parlour on his household West Ham background
Parlour made his Arsenal debut as an 18-year-old in January 1992
“My dad was a giant West Ham fan,” Parlour mentioned, talking to FourFourTwo . “We lived on the again of the West Ham coaching floor at Chadwell Heath, and I performed my Sunday soccer simply across the nook.
“We had plenty of scouts coming to observe our video games. I performed for Fulham at 9 years previous however Steve Rowley, bless his soul, saved pestering my dad, saying, ‘Get him over to Arsenal’. I went over there and by no means regarded again.”
Ray Parlour in motion for Middlesbrough
Parlour’s Arsenal debut got here as an 18-year-old in January 1992, quickly changing into a first-team common the place he turned a followers’ favorite within the coronary heart of the membership’s midfield. And Parlour – ranked at No.12 in FourFourTwo’s listing of one of the best Arsenal gamers of the Premier League period – says he was by no means going to go away the Gunners throughout this era, even when West Ham had come calling.
“My dad would have cherished it if I’d performed for West Ham, however I used to be by no means going to go away Arsenal – I used to be attempting to remain for so long as I might,” he continues.
“And, after I did depart, I used to be getting slightly bit slower and I don’t suppose it might have been proper; I needed to maneuver someplace aside from London, which is why I went to Middlesbrough.
“I by no means had a possibility to play for West Ham, however I scored at Upton Park as soon as. My dad was within the West Ham finish. He was like, ‘What are you doing, son?’”
Parlour’s last profession cease was at Championship aspect Hull Metropolis
Parlour’s post-Arsenal profession contained loads of excessive factors, with the ‘Romford Pele’ a part of the Boro squad that reached the ultimate of the 2006 UEFA Cup, whereas he was in a position to make use of his expertise to stop Hull Metropolis from dropping out of the Championship within the 2006-07 season earlier than hanging up his boots.
However his West Ham roots will endlessly act as a ‘what if’ for Hammers followers, who would no have little question cherished to have seen a neighborhood lad on the coronary heart of their aspect, linking up with the likes of Tony Cottee , John Hartson and Paolo Di Canio throughout an period after they tended to drift across the center of the Premier League desk earlier than dropping out of the highest tier in 2003.
