Exclusive: Paul Parker hails underappreciated class of ’92 star: “He wasn’t afraid of anything” | OneFootball

Former Manchester United defender Paul Parker heaped praise on his former teammate Nicky Butt, who didn’t entirely earn his dues at the club.

Parker, who spent five memorable years at Old Trafford, gave an exclusive interview to Stretty News, discussing several topics varying between his time at the club and the current era.

Before his move to Man Utd, Parker had an equally fruitful stint at Queens Park Rangers, where he had emerged as one of the finest defenders in the country.

So while the London native has been widely associated with the right-back slot due to his United spell, he insisted he was versatile enough to cover several other roles at the back.

“I got thrown into the fullback role as a kid and then that carried on, and I enjoyed this role,” said Parker, who was speaking on behalf of gambling portal British Gambler.

“But while I was at full and I become a centre half in the four, despite being only 5’7, and I enjoyed the involvement, I enjoyed the competitiveness of being in there, and I enjoyed the fact of people looking at me and questioning me, and I loved to challenge.

“The only time I played as a wingback was when I played in the World Cup in 1990, and I was thrown into it after one game, and I had to learn as I go. There was no coaching, positional sense and I played it as a fullback with the benefit that I was higher up the park.”

Paul Parker looks back on Paul Scholes’ early-career transition

We asked Parker what would have been his ideal role in the modern game, and he believes he would feel at home on the right side of a back-three.

“I would say I’d want to be right side of a three, that’s where I’d want to be. Or I’d have to be playing the sweeper as I did with Queens Park Rangers for two and a half years, when we played with a back three.

“I virtually was a man-to-man marker in there, and then I became a sweeper, which I thoroughly enjoyed. So United initially didn’t sign me as a fullback.”

During his time at United, Parker witnessed the rise of the famous Class of ’92. Hence, he recalls a young Paul Scholes trying to carve himself a place among the seniors while struggling due to his small stature.

Luckily for the one-club icon, he transitioned from a centre-forward into a central midfielder at the right instant in his career.

“Scholsey had a little bit of a nasty edge to him. He was a centre forward back then, but wasn’t deemed big enough to be able to play in that role, so Eric Harrison, or maybe the gaffer (Sir Alex Ferguson) as well, decided to drop him back because he was a very technically gifted player. 

“This move just opened up his game. He became like an all-rounder in a way, as close to a Bobby Charlton as any player who ever played for Manchester United.

“That’s because Charlton could be a centre forward, or you put him in midfield and he could spray balls everywhere, and he could score goals from outside the box like nobody could. They had this in common.

Parker thinks Nicky Butt deserves more plaudits for Man Utd run

While Scholes is universally recognised as an all-time great, Parker feels that the latter’s stardom overshadowed Nicky Butt, who deserved more recognition than he received.

“Nicky Butt was my boot boy. Butty was just tough, rugged, wasn’t scared of anything, very good, very tidy, very neat feet and was a very, very good central midfield player.

“He was someone who maybe didn’t get enough credit because he had to pull Scholes in there as well. Scholes was the one maybe taking all the plaudits, but anyone who played with Nicky Butt, at United or Newcastle, absolutely would have loved it because of the way he played at that given time.”

Butt spent 12 years with Man Utd’s first team, winning the Premier League on eight occasions. The midfielder also lifted the Champions League in 1999, as as well as four FA Cups.

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