Scott Parker facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Scott Parker

Parker with AFC Bournemouth in 2021
Personal information
Full name	Scott Matthew Parker
Date of birth	(1980-10-13) 13 October 1980 (age 44)
Place of birth	Lambeth, Greater London, England
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Burnley (head coach)
Youth career
1990–1997	Charlton Athletic
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1997–2004	Charlton Athletic	128	(9)
2000	→ Norwich City (loan)	6	(1)
2004–2005	Chelsea	15	(1)
2005–2007	Newcastle United	55	(4)
2007–2011	West Ham United	113	(10)
2011–2013	Tottenham Hotspur	50	(0)
2013–2017	Fulham	119	(6)
Total		486	(31)
International career
1996–1997	England U16	7	(2)
1999	England U18	3	(1)
1998	England U19	1	(0)
2000–2002	England U21	11	(0)
2003–2013	England	18	(0)
Managerial career
2019–2021	Fulham
2021–2022	AFC Bournemouth
2022–2023	Club Brugge
2024–	Burnley
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Scott Matthew Parker (born on 13 October 1980) is an English football manager and former player. He currently manages Premier League club Burnley.

Parker started his playing career at Charlton Athletic. He also played for Norwich City on loan. In 2004, he joined Chelsea for a large fee. He then moved to Newcastle United and became their captain.

In 2007, Parker joined West Ham United. He was named the FWA Footballer of the Year for the 2010–11 season. After West Ham, he played for Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham. He retired from playing in 2017.

Scott Parker played for England at all levels, from under-16 to the senior team. He made his first full England appearance in 2003. He was part of the England team that reached the quarter-finals at UEFA Euro 2012.

After retiring as a player, Parker became a manager. He led Fulham to promotion to the Premier League in 2020. He then joined AFC Bournemouth in 2021 and helped them get promoted to the Premier League too. He later managed Club Brugge in Belgium. In July 2024, he became the head coach of Burnley and guided them to promotion from the Championship in his first season.

Early Life and Football Beginnings

Scott Matthew Parker was born in Lambeth, London, on 13 October 1980. He went to Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College. When he was 13, he appeared in a famous English TV advert for McDonald's. In the advert, he showed off his football skills by doing "keepie uppies" during the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Parker also trained at The Football Association's special School of Excellence at Lilleshall.

Scott Parker's Playing Career

Club Football Journey

Starting at Charlton Athletic

After finishing his training at Lilleshall, Parker joined Charlton Athletic. He made his first team debut on 23 August 1997 as a substitute against Bury. He signed his first professional contract a couple of months later. For a few years, he mostly came on as a substitute, but he was seen as a very promising young player.

In October 2000, Charlton loaned Parker to Norwich City for two months. This was to give him more experience playing in first-team matches. He scored one goal for Norwich. When he returned to Charlton, he quickly became a key player in their midfield. He was known for his strong tackles and his ability to move the ball quickly from defence to attack.

Moving to Chelsea

On 30 January 2004, Parker left Charlton to join Chelsea. He signed a four-and-a-half-year contract for £10 million. His manager at Charlton, Alan Curbishley, was not happy with Parker's attitude when Chelsea showed interest.

At Chelsea, Parker was meant to be a backup player for Claude Makélélé and Frank Lampard. He did not get many chances to play in his favourite position. He scored his only goal for Chelsea in a 2–0 win against Portsmouth. At the end of the 2003–04 season, Parker was named the PFA Young Player of the Year.

In the 2004–05 season, new players joined Chelsea, which meant Parker had even fewer chances to play. He broke a bone in his foot during a match against Norwich City. This injury meant he missed important League Cup matches, including the final.

Time at Newcastle United

In July 2005, Parker moved to Newcastle United for £6.5 million. He quickly became a regular player for Newcastle. He was one of the most consistent players during a tough season for the club. His first goal for Newcastle was against his old club, Charlton.

In March 2006, he was diagnosed with glandular fever, which ended his season early. This was bad timing as it stopped him from trying to get into the 2006 FIFA World Cup squad. In July 2006, manager Glenn Roeder made him the new captain of Newcastle United. He led Newcastle to win the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2006.

Joining West Ham United

In June 2007, West Ham United signed Scott Parker for £7 million. He made his first team debut in September 2007. His first goal for West Ham was a last-minute winner against Middlesbrough.

Parker playing for West Ham United in 2011

Parker was a very important player for West Ham. The club's fans voted him "Hammer of the Year" in 2009 and 2010. In July 2010, West Ham's chairman said Parker was not for sale. In September 2010, Parker signed a new five-year contract, becoming the highest-paid player at the club.

In the 2010–11 season, Parker scored three goals in his first six games. He was seen as one of the best English midfielders. He was named Premier League Player of the Month for February 2011. Even though West Ham was relegated, Parker's great performances led him to be named the FWA Footballer of the Year.

In August 2011, Parker asked to leave West Ham. He explained that he needed to play in the Premier League to stay in the England squad.

Playing for Tottenham Hotspur

On 31 August 2011, Parker moved to Tottenham Hotspur for about £5.5 million. This meant he was the only player to have played for clubs in North, East, South, and West London in the Premier League. He made his Spurs debut on 10 September 2011.

Parker quickly became a key player for Tottenham. He was named their Player of the Year for the 2011–12 season. An American journalist, William Saletan, praised Parker's defensive skills. He said Parker "doesn't score or get credited with assists. He leaves that to the guys up front." He added that Parker "smothers oncoming attacks" and "orchestrates distribution."

Finishing at Fulham

On 19 August 2013, Parker signed a three-year contract with Fulham. He became captain for a match against Swansea City in November 2013. He scored his first goal for Fulham in that game. Fulham was relegated at the end of that season. Parker retired from playing football in June 2017.

International Career with England

Parker with England at UEFA Euro 2012

Scott Parker played for England at every age level, from under-16 to the senior team. He played nine times for the England under-21 team.

His first game for the senior England team was on 16 November 2003. He came on as a substitute in a match against Denmark. His good form earned him a starting spot against Croatia in October 2006. However, England lost that game, and Parker did not play for England again for over four years.

In May 2010, Parker was included in manager Fabio Capello's first squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. However, he was not chosen for the final team.

On 9 February 2011, Parker came on as a substitute against Denmark. This made him the first player to earn his first four full England caps while playing for four different clubs. On 26 March 2011, he played against Wales in a qualifier for UEFA Euro 2012. He was seen as one of England's best players in that win.

On 12 November 2011, Parker was named man of the match in a friendly game against Spain, which England won 1–0. He also captained England on 29 February 2012 in a match against the Netherlands at Wembley.

When Roy Hodgson became England manager, Parker was chosen for the UEFA Euro 2012 squad. He started all four of England's matches. England won their group but were knocked out by Italy in the quarter-finals. His last game for England was in March 2013, in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification match against San Marino.

Parker's Style of Play

Parker warming up for Fulham in 2014

Parker was known as a strong central midfielder who was good at tackling. He worked very hard on the field. Some people thought his style was less technical, but he was a regular player for England in 2012, often playing alongside Steven Gerrard. Even though England's Euro 2012 campaign was not perfect, many saw the partnership between Parker and Gerrard as a positive point.

Scott Parker's Managerial Career

Leading Fulham

After retiring as a player, Parker returned to Tottenham Hotspur to coach their under-18 team. In July 2018, he went back to Fulham as a first-team coach.

On 28 February 2019, Parker was appointed as Fulham's temporary manager. The team was struggling in the Premier League. Fulham was relegated to the Championship that season.

After the season, Fulham's chairman, Shahid Khan, made Parker the permanent manager. In his first full season, despite the COVID-19 pandemic causing a break in games, Fulham finished fourth. They won the Championship play-offs and were promoted back to the Premier League.

However, Fulham's return to the Premier League was tough. They were relegated again in May 2021. Parker left Fulham by agreement on 28 June 2021.

Managing AFC Bournemouth

On the same day he left Fulham, Parker became the head coach of AFC Bournemouth. He signed a three-year contract. He quickly made an impact, winning the Manager of the Month award in September and October 2021.

Parker guided Bournemouth to promotion back to the Premier League in his first season. They finished second in the Championship in May 2022.

Bournemouth won their first Premier League game back, beating Aston Villa 2–0. However, they then lost their next three games badly, including a 9–0 loss to Liverpool. After this, Parker said the team was not ready for the Premier League. Three days later, Bournemouth announced they had parted ways with Parker.

Time at Club Brugge

On 31 December 2022, Parker was appointed manager of Club Brugge, the champions of Belgium. His first game was a loss. He managed the team in the UEFA Champions League knockout phase, where they lost to Benfica. On 8 March 2023, after winning only two of 12 games, he was dismissed.

Current Role at Burnley

On 5 July 2024, Burnley announced Parker as their new head coach. On 21 April 2025, Parker led Burnley to promotion to the Premier League after a 2–1 win against Sheffield United. He was named Championship Manager of the Month for April 2025.

Personal Life

Scott Parker met Carly Arter when he was 16, and they got married when he was 20. They have four sons together. Scott Parker is also the brother-in-law of footballer Harry Arter, whom he managed at Fulham.

Career Statistics

Playing Career Summary

International Appearances

Managerial Statistics

Honours and Awards

As a Player

Charlton Athletic

• Football League First Division: 1999–2000 (won the league title)

Newcastle United

• UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2006 (won the cup)

Individual Awards

• Charlton Athletic Player of the Year: 2002–03
• Charlton Athletic Young Player of the Year: 1998–99
• PFA Young Player of the Year: 2003–04
• West Ham United Hammer of the Year: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11
• Premier League Player of the Month: February 2011, November 2011
• FWA Footballer of the Year: 2010–11
• England Player of the Year: 2011
• PFA Team of the Year: 2011–12 Premier League

As a Manager

Fulham

• EFL Championship play-offs: 2020 (won promotion)

AFC Bournemouth

• EFL Championship runner-up: 2021–22 (promoted)

Burnley

• EFL Championship runner-up: 2024–25 (promoted)

Individual Awards

• EFL Championship Manager of the Month: September 2021, October 2021, April 2025
• EFL Championship Manager of the Season: 2024–25

See also

In Spanish: Scott Parker para niños