Ray Parlour
Parlour pictured in December 2006.
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Raymond Parlour | ||
| Date of birth | 7 March 1973 | ||
| Place of birth | Romford, England | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1989–1992 | Arsenal | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1992–2004 | Arsenal | 339 | (22) |
| 2004–2007 | Middlesbrough | 46 | (0) |
| 2007 | Hull City | 15 | (0) |
| 2012 | Wembley | 0 | (0) |
| Total | 400 | (22) | |
| National team | |||
| 1992–1994 | England U21 | 12 | (0) |
| 1998 | England B | 1 | (0) |
| 1999–2000 | England | 10 | (0) |
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* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
Raymond "Ray" Parlour (born 7 March 1973) is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder from 1992 to 2007.
He spent his career playing for Arsenal, Middlesbrough, Hull City. During his Arsenal career he was nicknamed "The Romford Pelé"; although the nickname was given with an ironic sense of humour, on account of his solid performance but unglamorous image. He has been described as an "unsung hero" and praised as a "fans' favourite" for his high-energy performances. He is now a pundit on television, as well as on radio stations BBC Radio 5 Live and Talksport. In 2012 Parlour briefly came out of retirement to play for Wembley in the club's FA Cup fixtures.
Parlour is most famous for his time at Arsenal, where he played for 14 years. He joined Arsenal as a trainee in 1989, and made his debut for the Gunners against Liverpool on 29 January 1992, where he conceded a penalty in a 2–0 defeat. Parlour continued to be a bit-part player for the next few years, and was more noted for several disciplinary problems (such as a run-in with a Hong Kong taxi driver while on tour).
He properly broke through in 1994–95, and played in Arsenal's European UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final loss to Real Zaragoza that season (having been an unused sub in the Gunners' 1–0 triumph over Parma the previous season). However, Parlour only fully developed as a player after the arrival of Arsène Wenger as manager in 1996; he became a regular fixture playing on the right-wing or in central midfield for Arsenal; in 1997–98 Arsenal won the Double and Parlour proved instrumental. He was man-of-the-match in the Gunners' FA Cup Final win over Newcastle United that season; he set up Nicolas Anelka for Arsenal's second goal in a 2–0 win. However, he missed out on the 1998 World Cup that summer (England coach Glenn Hoddle preferring Spurs' Darren Anderton instead).
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