It's hard to fathom exactly why Scott Parker was signed in the first place, other than that Chelsea were enjoying a bit of a kick out of buying lots of English players on the basis that John Terry, Frank Lampard and Joe Cole had successfully established themselves in the team following a number of failed foreign signings. Parker was the standout player in a Charlton team which seemed to be in the ascendency under the stewardship of Alan Curbishley. Parker's ability to win the ball deep and instigate attacks on the break saw him heralded as the latest great English talent and following a public falling out with Curbishley over his attitude, he finally got his move to Chelsea for £10m in January 2004. He was quickly slotted into the right of midfield by then-manager Claudio Ranieri, since his natural position in the centre was occupied by the immovable Frank Lampard and Claude Makelele. Parker managed sporadic appearances for the remainder of the season, winning the PFA Young Player Of The Year award as the Blues finished in second place. The arrival of Jose Mourinho proved terrible news for Parker as the Portuguese was unwilling to accomodate him in the team, signing Tiago Mendes as further competition to support Makelele and Lampard in the centre. Parker made a couple of cup appearances and only four league appearances all season, being cheered by the Chelsea fans when he brought off the Stamford Bridge bench following one particularly lengthy absence. A terrible season was compounded by a broken metatarsal and he ultimately left the club at the end of season, joining Newcastle for £6.5m. Charlton fans will no doubt say Parker earnt his comeuppance after forcing through his Chelsea move in the middle of the season and it's hard to see where he expected to fit in given the strength of the competition for his favoured position. Undoubtedly talented, he never achieved his expected potential and spent the rest of his career travelling between mid-table clubs and sporadically turning out for England prior to being relegated with Fulham last year.
28-year old English writer with a borderline obsessive passion for films, videogames, Chelsea FC, incomprehensible words and indefensible puns. Follow me on Twitter if you like infrequent outbursts of absolute drivel.
