TFT meets...Ray Parlour

Ray Parlour is a popular man in the world of football. He's one of the most under-rated players of the last decade, anchoring the guile and verve of Arsene Wenger's Arsenal side with a work ethic and down-to-earth approach which allowed the more celebrated players to live up to the hype which surrounded them.

But Parlour in his pomp wasn't reliant simply on hard work. The man matched his team for skill and quality, and that's no mean feat. He was integral to a team which claimed silverware for fun, and eventually seemed to gain the respect he earned as his career began to wind down with moves to Middlesbrough and Hull City.

As part of his work in the build up to The Legends: England v Ireland, Parlour was kind enough to set aside some time to chat with me about Legends Football, Arsenal, Wenger and England.

"I think we're probably slight favourites," said Parlour of England's chances against Ireland at Craven Cottage on October 9th. "I think it'll be similar to the Scotland game, which we won 2-0, but Ireland have players like Phil Babb, Steve Staunton and Jason McAteer who are still fit and young. It'll be close."

Who will be the key players?

"Hopefully myself! I think you need to look at Robert Lee, who's a good player. We've had Paul Merson playing for us who is always good. Des Walker's very fit, still, and very solid at the back. We'll all have a go and run around a bit, and have some fun.

"For Ireland, Quinny [Niall Quinn] is likely to be a threat. He's a big lad, and he's a very good, technical player. McAteer and Babb have not long finished playing. I've heard Ray Houghton might be playing. He was excellent."

Parlour's last outing with England Legends didn't go as well as one might have hoped. Bramall Lane saw England thumped 5-1 by - you guessed it - Germany.

"We'll have to improve a lot. The Germans were a lot fitter and younger. We had a few older lads: Brian Robson was excellent on the night, we also played with Viv Anderson, John Barnes and Ray Wilkins in the side. They're all great players but the key is to keep the ball, keep moving it about, and not give it away when we're in possession."


The former Arsenal midfielder played his career at the confluence of talent and endeavour, and his lack of 'showiness' overshadows his significant medal collection. Parlour has four FA Cups, a League Cup, a Cup Winners Cup and three Premier League titles to his name, and that's what he's really interested in:

"It doesn't really bother me. The main thing for me is winning medals. 1998 was the real turnaround with Arsene Wenger having joined the club a bit earlier. Don't get me wrong, we had successes under George Graham, but Arsene Wenger was the real turning point. I was privileged to play with so many great players.

"I think I didn't help myself when it came to getting more England caps. I said something about Eileen Drury once, so Glenn Hoddle didn't pick me. I also had a great player in the team in front of me - it was always going to be difficult to get into the team ahead of David Beckham.

"There was injury too, of course. I went into a tackle with Roberto Carlos against Brazil and did my knee ligaments. That put me out for eight weeks and I missed a major tournament. So I probably didn't help myself, and I'd have loved to play more for my country, but every footballer would tell you that. That's football, though. And I was fortunate enough to have played in lots of finals."

It was in one of those finals that perhaps the most famous moment of Ray Parlour's career was played out. As well as the best known moment, it was Parlour's proudest. In the 2002 FA Cup Final against Chelsea, he set the Gunners on the way to victory with a goal that each and every player in that Arsenal team would have been proud of.

"I remember my dad drawing the curtains for cup finals as a kid, and to score in one was definitely my proudest moment."

What was it like to play under Arsene Wenger?

"It was fantastic. He was a real breath of fresh air when he came into the club. He changed everything. Training was enjoyable and fun. Most importantly the results really turned around.

"It's hard to name the best player I played with, there were so many great players. Dennis Bergkamp stands out most. He knew how to play between the lines, between the front man and the midfield. Thierry Henry would be close, but he would probably agree with Bergkamp. He set up loads of Henry's goals.

"Going back a few years, Tony Adams was fantastic. Ian Wright was a brilliant goalscorer and there's also Patrick Vieira and Marc Overmars."

So what's next for Ray Parlour? I'd read recently that he was considering doing his coaching qualifications after injury had made it difficult for him to find a club, but that's on the back burner at the moment. Parlour is enjoying his media work, but there could be a time when he wants to get back involved properly: "When I wake up and miss it, that'll be the day I do my badges."

He's positive about England's prospects under Fabio Capello, and England Legends' chances against Ireland:

"I think they'll do very well. They got a good result in Croatia, and I think a result like that was coming, to be fair. Lots of people would prefer an Englishman, but you have to go with the best. Capello has a great record at club level and hopefully he can translate that into internationals. He's got a good blend of players there.

"There's usually a few goals in these Legends games, so I'm going to predict 4-2...to England, of course!"

(Bottom Photo Credit: BBC Sport)

Ticket Information

Tickets for The Legends: England v Ireland are £14 for adults (over 16) and £8 for OAPs/Students, plus booking fee and available from Fulham Football Club’s Box Office on 0870 442 1234. Transmission for The Legends: England v Ireland will begin at 7pm. All Legends football games operate a ‘Kid-A-Quid’ scheme; all children under 16 will gain entry to The Legends for just £1. However, Two Footed Tackle can offer all my readers a discounted rate! Call Fulham Box Office and quote ‘Leg410” and you’ll get your adult ticket for just a tenner.