Spoke to Curbs about it a few years ago and he said Scott was a petulant wally (a bit more industrial) about it all but Curbs wanted him to hang till the end of the season and nothing he could do or say would work and he wanted Murray to turn it down but he also understood chance of a lifetime and all that .
I’ve never booooo’d him and totally understand him going just his behaviour about how he went about it grates with me . I do remember encouraging him to shoot when he played for Newcastle and he banged it in from 25-30 yards .
Ha ha I remember that game, he ran the entire length of the pitch to the Newcastle fans to celebrate. What a player though but yeah it broke my heart when he left & the way he left. I won’t boo him, done with that.
This must have been done to death..... But it seems no matter how many times people debate on this subject, nobody is going to change their opinion.....
Around 2004 Charlton were doing exceptionally well and I got interested. I then learned about the fans' incredible fight to get the Valley back and what a great manager Curbs was, two separate but main reasons why I decided to support this club. Without Parker's great performances in the first half of the 2003-04 season, I probably wouldn't have even noticed Charlton - the team wouldn't have been as high as fourth on the table. So I never have and never will hate him. He's one of my favourite Charlton players and I can always proudly tell others that our academy produced this great player and England captain.
I saw the news of Parker moving to Chelsea at the time but as someone not having closely followed the 'saga' as it happened but only learned the details on it a few months later (and have also come across with it time and time again in the following years), I'm different to all of you, in the way that I'm sort of an observer of this and can view it rather objectively.
A footballers' career is usually very short. We have to face the reality that the gap between us and clubs like Chelsea, ManU was and will always be huge. We were on completely different levels despite we were higher on the table than Chelsea at the time. Parker only thought of himself, put his own interest before the club's. But that was not hard to understand from his point of view. He could get injured and never hit the highs ever again. Nobody could guarantee that bad things wouldn't happen to him. What if an offer like this never comes again? Some of you hated him because you're fans of the club and of course you put the interest of the club before that of any individual player. But that doesn't mean Parker did an unforgivable act. Fans and players simply have different standpoints. The way Parker conducted the move was questionable but he was only 23. People make mistakes at that age. Can you say you didn't do anything stupid or wrong in your early 20's? The whole thing happened 16 years ago and the player himself definitely has long moved on. If people still boo and abuse him when he comes back, it'll only make us look narrow-minded (this might be the wrong word but I can't think of a correct word in English for a Chinese term at the minute).
I haven't followed his coaching career but it seems he's been doing really well at Fulham. I'm sure he's very hard-working and will have a decent managerial career. Like someone has mentioned earlier, Curbs who was hurt on a professional level by this transfer has forgiven him and let it go. Let's all just move on and focus on the game itself.
wholehearted player for us and left to further his ambitions, and what man in any job would not have done the same .. been a lot of water flowed down the Thames since then and I hope his team stationed right by the Thames get stuffed tomorrow .. to my mind he's been revelation as a manager. His choir boyish looks belied a fierce competitor as a player and the same thing is happening as a manager, he's not to be underestimated. He was lucky to inherit a well financed team and a talented one despite relegation last season.
wholehearted player for us and left to further his ambitions, and what man in any job would not have done the same .. been a lot of water flowed down the Thames since then and I hope his team stationed right by the Thames get stuffed tomorrow .. to my mind he's been revelation as a manager. His choir boyish looks belied a fierce competitor as a player and the same thing is happening as a manager, he's not to be underestimated. He was lucky to inherit a well financed team and a talented one despite relegation last season.
FFS Lincs that’s laying things on a bit thick for a man who shattered all our dreams to get his........which ironically (to a large extent), he didn’t.
People forgot how many games he played for us as well. He wasn’t like a Gomez or a Lookman, who racked up 20 games, 40 games and get all the #MadeInCharlton adulation stuff.
Parker played 130 times for us and busted his guts out in every single one of them. The bloke left everything on the pitch, every game.
Which is the reason I wouldn’t give him the steam off my piss.
The way he left, when we were so close to being the best we’ve ever been.
He knew exactly what he was doing and it was the beginning of a decline we’re still trying to dig ourselves out of.
I will never welcome him back. But if I was there I’d turn my back rather than boo him. He doesn’t deserve any effort booing would take.
Prick.
So do you also hate Paulo di Canio, who downed tools and demanded we release,him after just 30 games and having just signed a contract extension?
No one seems to find Di Canio a prick, the opposite it seems.
Nope, because PDC wasn’t CAFC.
He played for himself, throughout his career. You knew what you were getting the minute he signed.
My surprise was that he actually bothered to play for us at all. Many of his type don’t. No comparison, Smudge, disappointed 😘
Scott Parker played 128 games for us and we got £10m for him. Joe Gomez played just 21 games and was sold for £3m. We spent the same time nurturing that talent but the rewards we received on and off the pitch were totally different. And yet one is a Judas and the other is a hero.
We could go into the fact he downed tools etc etc but then we could talk about release clauses etc etc which is the other side of this well worn debate.
I’ve never called Gomez a hero myself, but am very proud of how he’s progressed and that he came from our academy.
Again, the only comparison is that they came through our academy. Both left whilst Charlton the club was at completely different stages but hugely important to how their exit is perceived. Again, a poor comparison imo.
I was, ten when he left. This is the age at which football really becomes an obsession and at which "favourite players" meant pretty much everything. Weirdly, I don't think Parker was one of mine - though it was patently obvious just how great he was.
I was gutted at the way he left, and gutted at the way we were fourth then finished just outside the European places. And we haven't been anywhere near as good since. For this, I've always harboured resentment. So I'll boo him, and chastise him in the heat of the moment - but I don't think I actively hate him, after having had another sixteen years to reflect on it all.
Certainly won't get applause. May well get a boo, but not the vitriol others seem to revel in.
People forgot how many games he played for us as well. He wasn’t like a Gomez or a Lookman, who racked up 20 games, 40 games and get all the #MadeInCharlton adulation stuff.
Parker played 130 times for us and busted his guts out in every single one of them. The bloke left everything on the pitch, every game.
Which is the reason I wouldn’t give him the steam off my piss.
The way he left, when we were so close to being the best we’ve ever been.
He knew exactly what he was doing and it was the beginning of a decline we’re still trying to dig ourselves out of.
I will never welcome him back. But if I was there I’d turn my back rather than boo him. He doesn’t deserve any effort booing would take.
Prick.
So do you also hate Paulo di Canio, who downed tools and demanded we release,him after just 30 games and having just signed a contract extension?
No one seems to find Di Canio a prick, the opposite it seems.
Is Paolo Di Canio the most misspelled Charlton player ever? Would love to know why.
No, that’s Paul Konchelskis
I've got news for you boss it's Josh Davison being constantly misspelt Davidson😏
Oh good, the Scott Parker debate all over again. Just what we need.
Thanks for joining in.
Happy to oblige.
I just find some of the comments on this thread embarrassing. Grown men talking about their dreams being shattered and the like. Get a grip ffs!
Some people clearly just love to hate. But life really is too short for all that, apart from in exceptional cases - and this really isnt one of those. Not even close.
Oh good, the Scott Parker debate all over again. Just what we need.
Thanks for joining in.
Happy to oblige.
I just find some of the comments on this thread embarrassing. Grown men talking about their dreams being shattered and the like. Get a grip ffs!
Some people clearly just love to hate. But life really is too short for all that, apart from in exceptional cases - and this really isnt one of those. Not even close.
"Grown men?" Good luck finding them on a football forum
@AFKABartram is quite right. And @Jessie gives an account which is quite similar to my own timeline of becoming a hardened Addick and for similar reasons. So the whole Parker saga was on the periphery of my active interest although I remember for some reasons quite vividly a few Football Focus interviews with him before and after his extraction by Chelsea. I have to say though that had I never heard of Parker and I saw him interviewed now, he is someone who I just instinctively dislike. He looks and sounds like a square faced supercilious petulant twat. He just rubs me up the wrong way. He may well in reality be the nicest guy on earth and I’ve never met him so who am I to judge. But nah, he’s not for me.
I’m also finding the “he started our decline” and “he cost us Champions League football” stuff to be a load of contrived nonsense.
Well, let's have a look at the facts. We were in the top 4 of the Premier League throughout the whole of January 2004 and we pasted the third placed team Chelsea on the preceding boxing day fixture. Can we conclude that "he started our decline"? Well that's arguable, but as we never got anywhere near top 4 after he left there's a case to be made that our "decline" can be traced back to his departure. Similarly, "did he cost us Champions League football" - we'll never know, but I think there is a compelling argument that Chelsea and Parker did between them. I would further argue that that was Chelsea's primary intention. They didn't need Parker and they seemed to have a policy at the time of nicking competitors best player (e.g.Shawn Wright-Phillips). What is your argument for "contrived nonsense"?
It hurt massively at the time, and it still feels like it was a huge missed opportunity for both him and us. We were best together. But, it’s a long time ago now. We all make mistakes. Scotty made arguably the biggest one of his career. He was fantastic for us. But he moved on. I know it hurt, but perhaps now we should too....
I’m also finding the “he started our decline” and “he cost us Champions League football” stuff to be a load of contrived nonsense.
Well, let's have a look at the facts. We were in the top 4 of the Premier League throughout the whole of January 2004 and we pasted the third placed team Chelsea on the preceding boxing day fixture. Can we conclude that "he started our decline"? Well that's arguable, but as we never got anywhere near top 4 after he left there's a case to be made that our "decline" can be traced back to his departure. Similarly, "did he cost us Champions League football" - we'll never know, but I think there is a compelling argument that Chelsea and Parker did between them. I would further argue that that was Chelsea's primary intention. They didn't need Parker and they seemed to have a policy at the time of nicking competitors best player (e.g.Shawn Wright-Phillips). What is your argument for "contrived nonsense"?
Because we were in the top four of the Premier League for about 5 minutes doesn’t mean we were ever likely to stay there. Even had he stayed I don’t think we would have finished above that seasons top four of Arsenal, Chelsea, Man United and Liverpool.
It’s scraping the barrel to suggest that his departure resulted in our ‘decline’, as it’s not as if we were established in the top four in the first place.
I agree that Chelsea stole our best player to try and derail us, but I still don’t think we would have finished above them when it was all said and done (they finished 26 points ahead of us).
He had just signed a 5 year contract, he was central to the team that curbs wanted to put together. To say his departure wasn't the beginning of the end, seems to me to be revisionism. If he wanted to go, he shouldn't have signed that contract imo.
I’m also finding the “he started our decline” and “he cost us Champions League football” stuff to be a load of contrived nonsense.
Well, let's have a look at the facts. We were in the top 4 of the Premier League throughout the whole of January 2004 and we pasted the third placed team Chelsea on the preceding boxing day fixture. Can we conclude that "he started our decline"? Well that's arguable, but as we never got anywhere near top 4 after he left there's a case to be made that our "decline" can be traced back to his departure. Similarly, "did he cost us Champions League football" - we'll never know, but I think there is a compelling argument that Chelsea and Parker did between them. I would further argue that that was Chelsea's primary intention. They didn't need Parker and they seemed to have a policy at the time of nicking competitors best player (e.g.Shawn Wright-Phillips). What is your argument for "contrived nonsense"?
Because we were in the top four of the Premier League for about 5 minutes doesn’t mean we were ever likely to stay there. Even had he stayed I don’t think we would have finished above that seasons top four of Arsenal, Chelsea, Man United and Liverpool.
It’s scraping the barrel to suggest that his departure resulted in our ‘decline’, as it’s not as if we were established in the top four in the first place.
I agree that Chelsea stole our best player to try and derail us, but I still don’t think we would have finished above them when it was all said and done (they finished 26 points ahead of us).
Now you are being selective. We finished a mere 7 points behind the 4th placed team, Liverpool, and were a similar number of points ahead of them when Parker left. We lost the driving force of our side - up until that point we had what Curbs described as " a right chance". Anyway, we are at risk of going around in circles and this argument has been done to death so many times. I don't personally attribute our "decline" to Parker's departure although it was clearly a high point. I do however, and always will, believe that Parker and Chelsea between them sabotaged a real opportunity to achieve a European spot.
it's just the 'alleged' way he went about his departure that still grates on me.
he could've left at the end of the season a hero and with everyone's blessing (and probably gone to Man U)
And every single person thought that, i don't think there's any real debate to be had there.
My point is i can't believe how long some people have carried hate over it and feelings haven't subsided over 15 years. In comparison to real life it is tiny, and even in comparison in football terms, it was hardly a Sol Campbell job.
He grabbed an upward opportunity that deflated us, i'm just a bit surpised that over time more people haven't become more meh and hindsight about it and softened a bit, given he was absolute quality for us.
Jessie: Parker was never captain of England. He made 18 appearances and was during that time made reserve captain to John Terry.
Not saying that I would boo but he deserves it more than Murphy imo, and he got massive stick at Fulham some years ago.
He captained England against Holland in Feb12, remember feeling quite proud. Never been angrier at a football match than when his face appeared on the big screen at Chelsea and I do believe him leaving started our decline but I don't believe Scott Parker was responsible for our decline as he wasn't properly replaced. Anger long since subsided find it sad some people still are. I prefer to remember him being the best payer I've seen playing for Charlton in the last six months he was with us but then I embrace the positive rather than the negative.
McCartney said: ........ and I do believe him leaving started our decline but I don't believe Scott Parker was responsible for our decline as he wasn't properly replaced.
Indeed, this was the real problem ....... regardless that angry Charlton supporters wanted to string him up or even just kick the cat in frustration.
Chelsea had tapped up Parker/made Charlton an offer some weeks before being sold to Chelsea on the 30th January - even if it was just a remote possibility Parker could leave, you'd think some thought would have gone towards that perhaps we needed to bring in a player to replace him, just in case? Were we so under prepared that there was literally no one on our shopping list?
Was it that Curbs didn't believe Parker would actually leave and was running down the clock until the window closed - and then late on, had the rug pulled from under his feet by Murray, as a £10m cheque was slipping from the Chairman's grasp?
Conspiracy theory, of course.
Parker had signed a 5 year contract during the previous summer - and wasn't going anywhere unless Charlton chose to sell him.
Comments
been a lot of water flowed down the Thames since then and I hope his team stationed right by the Thames get stuffed tomorrow ..
to my mind he's been revelation as a manager. His choir boyish looks belied a fierce competitor as a player and the same thing is happening as a manager, he's not to be underestimated. He was lucky to inherit a well financed team and a talented one despite relegation last season.
I just hope that people will get behind our manager, and team, cos boy do we need it, slagging off the opposition is a waste of energy.
Both left whilst Charlton the club was at completely different stages but hugely important to how their exit is perceived.
Again, a poor comparison imo.
I was gutted at the way he left, and gutted at the way we were fourth then finished just outside the European places. And we haven't been anywhere near as good since. For this, I've always harboured resentment. So I'll boo him, and chastise him in the heat of the moment - but I don't think I actively hate him, after having had another sixteen years to reflect on it all.
Certainly won't get applause. May well get a boo, but not the vitriol others seem to revel in.
The last thing we want to do is motivate the opposition ...... as you say, put the energy behind our own lads and get The Valley rocking.
I just find some of the comments on this thread embarrassing. Grown men talking about their dreams being shattered and the like. Get a grip ffs!
Some people clearly just love to hate. But life really is too short for all that, apart from in exceptional cases - and this really isnt one of those. Not even close.
Good luck finding them on a football forum
We were in the top 4 of the Premier League throughout the whole of January 2004 and we pasted the third placed team Chelsea on the preceding boxing day fixture.
Can we conclude that "he started our decline"? Well that's arguable, but as we never got anywhere near top 4 after he left there's a case to be made that our "decline" can be traced back to his departure.
Similarly, "did he cost us Champions League football" - we'll never know, but I think there is a compelling argument that Chelsea and Parker did between them.
I would further argue that that was Chelsea's primary intention.
They didn't need Parker and they seemed to have a policy at the time of nicking competitors best player (e.g.Shawn Wright-Phillips).
What is your argument for "contrived nonsense"?
He was fantastic for us. But he moved on. I know it hurt, but perhaps now we should too....
It’s scraping the barrel to suggest that his departure resulted in our ‘decline’, as it’s not as if we were established in the top four in the first place.
I agree that Chelsea stole our best player to try and derail us, but I still don’t think we would have finished above them when it was all said and done (they finished 26 points ahead of us).
We finished a mere 7 points behind the 4th placed team, Liverpool, and were a similar number of points ahead of them when Parker left.
We lost the driving force of our side - up until that point we had what Curbs described as " a right chance".
Anyway, we are at risk of going around in circles and this argument has been done to death so many times.
I don't personally attribute our "decline" to Parker's departure although it was clearly a high point.
I do however, and always will, believe that Parker and Chelsea between them sabotaged a real opportunity to achieve a European spot.
Not saying that I would boo but he deserves it more than Murphy imo, and he got massive stick at Fulham some years ago.
it's just the 'alleged' way he went about his departure that still grates on me.
he could've left at the end of the season a hero and with everyone's blessing (and probably gone to Man U)
And every single person thought that, i don't think there's any real debate to be had there.
My point is i can't believe how long some people have carried hate over it and feelings haven't subsided over 15 years. In comparison to real life it is tiny, and even in comparison in football terms, it was hardly a Sol Campbell job.
He grabbed an upward opportunity that deflated us, i'm just a bit surpised that over time more people haven't become more meh and hindsight about it and softened a bit, given he was absolute quality for us.
Indeed, this was the real problem ....... regardless that angry Charlton supporters wanted to string him up or even just kick the cat in frustration.
Chelsea had tapped up Parker/made Charlton an offer some weeks before being sold to Chelsea on the 30th January - even if it was just a remote possibility Parker could leave, you'd think some thought would have gone towards that perhaps we needed to bring in a player to replace him, just in case? Were we so under prepared that there was literally no one on our shopping list?
Was it that Curbs didn't believe Parker would actually leave and was running down the clock until the window closed - and then late on, had the rug pulled from under his feet by Murray, as a £10m cheque was slipping from the Chairman's grasp?
Conspiracy theory, of course.
Parker had signed a 5 year contract during the previous summer - and wasn't going anywhere unless Charlton chose to sell him.