Scott Parker

Scott Parker

    Scott Parker had an impressive playing career with Charlton, Newcastle, West Ham, Tottenham and Fulham before taking steps into management with the Cottagers, Bournemouth, Club Brugge and now Burnley.

    Parker played for his country at all youth levels before reaching the senior side and was a member of the England squad that reached the quarter-finals at Euro 2012.

    As a player he was named the PFA Young Player of the Year in 2003/04, FWA player of the year for the 2010/11 season, and also won the England Player of the Year award in 2011.

    He guided Fulham to promotion to the Premier League in his first season in charge - and in May 2022 achieved the same feat with Bournemouth.

    He was sacked by Bournemouth in August 2022 after a 9-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Premier League and having voiced his unhappiness regarding the club's approach in the transfer market.

    Parker was named the new manager of 18-time Belgian champions Club Brugge on December 31, 2022 but lasted less than three months in the job.

    Parker was sacked after their 5-1 defeat to Benfica that saw them crash out of the UEFA Champions League. In 12 games, he only won two matches and left the club 11 points behind third-placed Antwerp.

    In July 2024, Parker replaced the Bayern Munich-bound Vincent Kompany as the head coach of Burnley.

     

    Early playing career

    Parker started his professional career at Charlton Athletic where he stayed from 1998 until 2004.
    He became a crucial part of Charlton's midfield and replaced injured captain Mark Kinsella.
    His debut for the club came against Bury FC as a substitute in 1997, a game that ended 0-0.

    But, in January 2004, he left The Valley and moved to Chelsea for £10million.

    At the end of the 2003-04 season, he was named the PFA Young Player of the Year.
    However, despite shining in previous rounds, he broke a metatarsal bone against Norwich and missed the semi-final and final of the 2004/05 League Cup.

    This effectively ended his time at Chelsea as he moved to Newcastle United for £6.5million in the summer of 2005 and regularly started in their first team.

    He led Newcastle United to UEFA Intertoto Cup victory in 2006.

     

    Move to West Ham United

    Parker's nomadic career continued when he joined West Ham United in 2007 for £7million and he stayed until 2011.

    He was voted Hammer of the Year in three consecutive seasons (2008/09, 09/10, 10/11) and became a crucial part of the team.

    One of his most valuable contributions was when he scored the winner against Wigan that kept West Ham in the Premier League in 2009/10.

    However, despite his inspirational team talks, even though he wasn't the team captain, he was unable to keep West Ham in the Premier League the following season and the club were relegated under Avram Grant. But he won the FWA Footballer of the Year award, and was on the shortlist for the PFA Players' Player of the Year but missed out to Gareth Bale.

    He joined West Ham's rivals Tottenham at the end of August 2011 for £5.5million after handing in a transfer request.

    At Tottenham, he was named their player of the year for the 2011-12 season and captained them against Blackburn at Ewood Park.

    His time at White Hart Lane only lasted two seasons, but he was named Player of the Year for the 2011–12 season.

     

    Switch to Fulham

    Parker joined Fulham for a final swansong in August 2013 but was unable to keep them in the Premier League.

    He played a further three seasons in the Championship with the West London club before retiring at the end of the 2016/17 season after making a 128 appearances for the club, a similar amount to games he'd played for Charlton and West Ham.

    Parker joined the youth team coaching set-up with Spurs after his retirement, but by July 2018 had found his way back to newly promoted Fulham as first-team coach under Slavisa Jokanovic. But the Serbian manager was sacked in November and replaced by Claudio Ranieri.

    The Italian was unable to lift Fulham away from a relegation dogfight, and with the club in 19th place in February 2019 he was dismissed and Parker was appointed caretaker-manager.

    Parker couldn't steer Fulham to safety and they were relegated with five games to go in the 2018/19 season.

    Parker was given the manager's role for the following season and successfully guided Fulham to promotion in the 2020 play-off final at Wembley after a 2-1 victory over Brentford.

    Parker struggled to get results in the Premier League and Fulham were relegated in May 2021 after defeat to Burnley. He left the club in June by mutual consent.

     

    Promotion with Bournemouth

    Parker joined the south-coast club on a three-year deal that same month and quickly assembled a promotion-winning squad, including the likes of Phillip Billing, Kieffer Moore, Dominic Solanke and Lewis Cook.

    They occupied second spot for large parts of the season and confirmed promotion with a 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest. Bournemouth finished runners-up to champions Fulham by two points.

    Parker won back-to-back manager of the month awards in September and October.
    Parker enjoyed another solid start in the top flight as Bournemouth picked up a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa.
    However, Bournemouth lost their following three games by a combined scoreline of 16-0, with the run culminating at Anfield where the Cherries were handed a 9-0 hammering by Liverpool.
    Parker was removed from his role three days later and became the first managerial casualty of the 2022/23 Premier League season.

     

    Crossing the Channel to manage Club Brugge

    Parker took the reins at the 18-time Belgian champions on the last day of 2022 with the club off the pace in the Jupiler Pro League, 12 points behind leaders Genk in fourth after a 1-1 Boxing Day draw with OH Louvain.

    Parker lost his first game in charge, a 3-1 away defeat to Genk.

    He was sacked after their 5-1 defeat to Benfica that saw them crash out of the UEFA Champions League in early March.

    In 12 games, he only won two matches and left the club 11 points behind third-placed Antwerp.

     

    Back in England with Burnley

    On July 5, 2024, Parker was tasked with leading Burnley back to the Premier League, a feat he achieved with both Fulham and Bournemouth.

    He said: “I’m really pleased to be here. I have been speaking with Burnley for some time now which has been a positive thing as I’ve now got a real feel for the people around the club.

    “To be around the training ground now you start to get that feeling again and I can’t wait to get on the training field and start work.

    “For us to be successful this year is the most important thing. We have to win and build a team the fans and club can be proud of. This team can represent every single one of them in that aspect and that’s the aim.”

    Chairman Alan Pace added: “We are thrilled to welcome Scott to Burnley.

    “His vision for the future aligns with our goals and ambitions of returning to the Premier League as soon as possible.”

    “His track record of success along with a commitment to developing young talent makes him an ideal fit.

    “We are confident he can lead us to new heights and continue to build on the solid foundations laid at Turf Moor.”

     

    Scott Parker's personal life

    Parker is married to Carly Parker, Harry Arter's sister. They have four sons.

     

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