In Part 2 of his interview with Ian 'Moose' Abrahams, Scott Parker recalls his most memorable moments in Claret and Blue
In Part 2 of his interview with Ian 'Moose' Abrahams, Scott Parker recalls his most memorable moments in Claret and Blue...
Last weekend we faced Liverpool, and for me what epitomised Scott Parker as a player and a man was the performance he put in against The Merseysiders here five years ago, which saw him secure the Premier League Player of the Month Award.
Scott scored in a 3-1 Premier League win. On the face of it, nothing too much stands out about that result but for Scott, he played through personal and physical pain that February afternoon.
“It was a special goal and win for personal reasons, as it was the last game my Dad was able to come to and see me play before he died,” he said. “But the day before, I had bust my shoulder in training, and had injections that day and on the morning of the match so I could play.
“I don't normally believe in fate, but to score a goal to win the game and really play well, and for that to be the last game he saw made it perfect."
Unless he plays in Mark Noble's Testimonial – by the way well done to West Ham for giving our Club captain that honour – Scott won't get to play here again before the move to the Olympic Stadium, so what does he make of the move?
“Every club, with the way football is going, has to move on. The new Stadium will be amazing and take West Ham to a different level. Of course you're leaving behind something special, and in terms of Upton Park, especially under the lights when it was rocking there was no better place to play, and when the fans are behind you, it was very hard to play against West Ham.
“I have seen it from both sides, but football moves on and the Olympic Stadium will be fantastic.”
Last weekend we faced Liverpool, and for me what epitomised Scott Parker as a player and a man was the performance he put in against The Merseysiders here five years ago, which saw him secure the Premier League Player of the Month Award.
Scott scored in a 3-1 Premier League win. On the face of it, nothing too much stands out about that result but for Scott, he played through personal and physical pain that February afternoon.
“It was a special goal and win for personal reasons, as it was the last game my Dad was able to come to and see me play before he died,” he said. “But the day before, I had bust my shoulder in training, and had injections that day and on the morning of the match so I could play.
“I don't normally believe in fate, but to score a goal to win the game and really play well, and for that to be the last game he saw made it perfect."
Unless he plays in Mark Noble's Testimonial – by the way well done to West Ham for giving our Club captain that honour – Scott won't get to play here again before the move to the Olympic Stadium, so what does he make of the move?
“Every club, with the way football is going, has to move on. The new Stadium will be amazing and take West Ham to a different level. Of course you're leaving behind something special, and in terms of Upton Park, especially under the lights when it was rocking there was no better place to play, and when the fans are behind you, it was very hard to play against West Ham.
“I have seen it from both sides, but football moves on and the Olympic Stadium will be fantastic.”
It was a special goal and win for personal reasons, as it was the last game my Dad was able to come to and see me play before he died
Fantastic – a word I couldn't have chosen better myself to describe a man I came to know very well during his time here; a man I still know very well and am proud to be friendly with (oh and how proud he'll be when he reads this I didn't once refer to him as ‘Scotty’!).
Anyway last word to Scott.
What is the one memory that sticks out from his four years as a West Ham player.
“The game at home to Wigan under Gianfranco Zola, I scored with five minutes to go to win the game (Ilan and Radoslav Kovac had scored the other Hammers goals, but with 85 minutes on the clock it was 2-2, when Scott fired home a sensational strike from 25 yards). That is the moment I still think about now.
“We were struggling and that win gave us a safety net. Many times I walked off the pitch at Upton Park and I felt proud of my performance, but that is the one game and moment I will always remember.”
What a man and what a player. Scott makes my all-time XI from players I've seen play here in the last 40 years.
Anyway last word to Scott.
What is the one memory that sticks out from his four years as a West Ham player.
“The game at home to Wigan under Gianfranco Zola, I scored with five minutes to go to win the game (Ilan and Radoslav Kovac had scored the other Hammers goals, but with 85 minutes on the clock it was 2-2, when Scott fired home a sensational strike from 25 yards). That is the moment I still think about now.
“We were struggling and that win gave us a safety net. Many times I walked off the pitch at Upton Park and I felt proud of my performance, but that is the one game and moment I will always remember.”
What a man and what a player. Scott makes my all-time XI from players I've seen play here in the last 40 years.
*You can order a copy of last Saturday's Programme for the 2-0 win over Liverpool now right here!