Sports Speakers
Ray Parlour is a former Arsenal and England footballer.
Nicknamed ‘The Romford Pele’, Ray joined Arsenal as a trainee in 1989.
He made his Gunners debut in 1992 and over the next few years became an integral part of the team.
For over 14 years, Ray played alongside some of football’s greats including Ian Wright, Paul Merson, Patrick Vieira, David Seaman and Dennis Bergkamp.
Ray was a regular fixture on the right-wing or in central midfield, and was integral to many of Arsenal’s successes.
In the 1997-98 season, Ray was part of the team who won the league championship for the first time in seven years.
They completed ‘the Double’ in the same season winning the FA Cup at Wembley, where Ray was named man-of-the-match.
Four years later at the 2002 FA Cup Final against Chelsea, Parlour scored one of the great Cup Final goals from 25 yards at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.
Plagued by knee trouble, he remained a key squad member, even stepping in for the injured Patrick Vieira in their FA Cup Final win.
Ray also captained Arsenal to their famous 5-1 win against Inter Milan.
Internationally, Parlour was capped 10 times by England between 1999 & 2000.
He left Highbury in 2004, shortly after Arsene Wenger’s ‘Invincibles’ had completed an unbeaten title campaign.
Ray Parlour remains one of Arsenal’s most highly decorated players.
Since retiring from football, Ray has been a regular on Talksport Radio and Sky Sports.
Ray is recognised as one of the most entertaining football after-dinner speakers on the circuit.