Scott Parker looking forward to West Ham United return
Despite spending four memorable years at West Ham, Scott Parker has a mixed bag of a relationship with supporters of his former side.
[placeholder image
Read More
Alan Pace on Burnley's ambitions, this season's survival chances and longer-term...](https://www.burnleyexpress.net/sport/football/alan-pace-on-burnleys-ambitions-this-seasons-survival-chances-and-longer-term-european-hopes-5389848 "Alan Pace on Burnley's ambitions, this season's survival chances and longer-term European hopes")
The Clarets boss made over 100 appearances for the Hammers between 2007 and 2011, becoming a firm fans’ favourite at Upton Park.
Such was his impact, Parker received the Football Writers' Association (FWA) Footballer of the Year award in 2011, despite West Ham being relegated to the Championship.
Off the back of that season, Parker opted to make a controversial move across London to Tottenham, a switch that inevitably stirred up some anger among the Hammers fanbase.
Parker, however, was keen to remain in the Premier League, especially during a year where England were gearing up for the European Championships.
Now heading back to East London this weekend with his Burnley side, Parker was inevitably quizzed about his time with the Hammers and how he reflects on times gone by.
Here’s everything Parker had to say about his former club during Thursday’s pre-match press conference:
Parker in action for West Ham against Wayne Rooney and Manchester United in 2011 (Photo by Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)placeholder image
Parker in action for West Ham against Wayne Rooney and Manchester United in 2011 (Photo by Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Going back
“Yes, I'm looking forward to going back and I'm sure I'll see some familiar faces.
“I had four absolutely fantastic years there, which I loved every bit of really. It's a fantastic football club that not only made me feel very welcome, but made my family feel very welcome. I felt really at home at West Ham.
“So, yes, I'm looking forward to going back and seeing some old faces.”
What’s the mystique about West Ham?
“Yeah, I think that's probably got something to do with it [Bobby Moore and Geoff Hurst].
“I don't think it’s solely that, but I think there's some heritage around the football club in terms of the players that the club produced as well. I mean, we can go through a list of names really.
“I think the intensity of the fanbase, Upton Park when that was the case as well. I've got an affiliation there and I spent four fantastic years there, so I understand why that is the case.
“I get maybe why others don't, but I get it and maybe they're the reasons or some of them.”
Was it a wrench to leave West Ham?
“Yeah, it was a wrench, without a shadow of a doubt.
“It was four years of my career that I was arguably playing the best football of my career in difficult circumstances.
“The general feeling I had around the club was, yeah, it just felt like a family club. It felt that they took to me so well and I think that was a large part of why I was playing so well.
“I felt wanted and obviously leaving that year, I have an understanding, a real clear understanding of why I did that and the reasons I did that.
“I also have an understanding from the supporter side why they were hugely disappointed because of where I went and I'm sure that wouldn't have been the case if I'd gone somewhere else.
“I think I ended up going in the last two hours of a transfer window or a day or something like that. It was what it was and I had a career and I wanted to stay in the England team and I wanted to be in the Premier League really and I felt that I deserved to be in the Premier League.
“I felt I was a Premier League player, that's exactly what I was and I didn't really want to play in the Championship.
“I see both sides and I see my side. All I can say is, I understand the anger when I left, I understand it and I totally get it. But yeah, I love West Ham.”
The Burnley Express has launched a new WhatsApp channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates directly to your phone. Simply click this link to join our Burnley Express WhatsApp channel.
Do you understand the fans’ anger towards the owners?
“Well, I think that's every fanbase really. I think that's just the world we live in now. Do you know what I mean?
“I think it gets to the point now where if you concede a goal, you're going to get booed. If you lose a football match, you're going to get booed.
“We're in professional sport. You can concede a goal and you can lose a football match and that's just the way it is.
“I don't know the full ins and outs of this, but it's just the way things are now and I think we all understand that.
“Sometimes there's context to it and sometimes it's just, you know, it can quickly flip the other way. There's always raw emotion there and as quickly as there's that anger and emotion of: ‘we've lost a game’ and we want to vent, the next week is you're standing there cheering and we're all celebrating.
“It's just the way football is at this present moment in time or certainly that's the way it's gone really.”
Were West Ham fans good to play in front of?
“Yeah, definitely.
“For me, every club I've been at, I've always had a good relationship with supporters but this was a club I spent the most of my career at.
“It was four years and I thought they took to me really, really well and I appreciated that and hence why I arguably was playing my best football.”
London Stadium compared to Upton Park
“It's very different to Upton Park. I've not been back too many times. I think I took one team back there, maybe Fulham.
“I've not really been around it to fully have an understanding. But it's probably very different to Upton Park. Upton Park was very intense, very close. It was, we all know going there, that was the way it was. It was an unbelievable stadium.
“This stadium is a little bit bigger and obviously a little bit away from the pitch.”
Do you want West Ham to stay up?
“I’ve been at a few different clubs to be fair!
“Now I’m in this league fighting to stay in it, so I have a selfish mindset in that sense.
“Honestly, my interest is Burnley Football Club and I don't care whatever clubs underneath me, whoever I've played for them or if I've had an affiliation with them.
“This is what it is and this is what we do now and this is what I do. I want Burnley to stay in this division and that's what I'll be aiming to do. Whoever's underneath us is underneath us.”
Continue Reading