Charlton Athletic landed £10m Chelsea windfall and shedload of memories | OneFootball

Scott Parker graduated from the Charlton academy system before agreeing a £10m move to Chelsea in 2004

Scott Parker came through the ranks of the Charlton Athletic academy system to create memories that fans will remember forever.

The midfielder emerged on the scene during the 1997/98 campaign at the age of just 17, making three appearances as the club gained promotion to the Premier League.

Parker made his top flight debut when he came off the bench in a 2-1 loss to Wimbledon the subsequent October.

He made a total of four appearances for the Addicks that season, showing promise without yet cementing himself as a key part of the side.

The now 45-year-old even registered his first Premier League assist on 17 January 1999 in a 2-2 draw against Newcastle United, but he only played one more time in the term after that.

Alan Curbishley’s side suffered relegation to the Championship in 1999 before returning in 2000, but it wasn’t until after a two-month loan spell with Norwich from October to December of that year that he finally broke through as a key part of the London outfit’s first team squad.

Scott Parker became a £10m player at Charlton

Parker made two substitute appearances for Charlton in the Premier League prior to his temporary move to Norwich, but he cemented himself as a starter when he returned.

His first inclusion in the first XI came in a 4-1 win over Manchester City on 30 December 2000, which began a nine game unbeaten run in which the midfielder started on eight occasions.

Parker even scored his first top flight goal in this run, bagging a 61st minute winner against Derby County.

By the time Charlton had finished ninth, 14th and 12th with the 45-year-old as their key man, Chelsea had become very interested in securing his services.

The newly-minted Blues splashed a reported £10 million to sign Parker in the 2004 January transfer window.

While it was a blow to lose someone of his quality, it came as no surprise to Addicks supporters that he was being sought after by a team with the ambitions of Chelsea.

He made a total of 110 Premier League appearances for Charlton before his move to Stamford Bridge, contributing eight goals and seven assists.

Scott Parker will always be remembered fondly at Charlton

The 4-1 win over Manchester City cemented his place in the team, but it was the winner against Derby that truly began the special memories Parker created during his time at the Valley.

Fans were able to cheer on one of their own as he went on to earn international recognition with the England national team.

Parker was able to build a reputation as a player capable of delivering big moments, with his next goal coming almost a whole year later, scoring the second in a comeback victory over Ipswich Town.

The Tractor Boys raced into a quick 2-0 lead with a Marcus Bent brace in the opening five minutes, but Curbishley’s side ultimately secured an important three points at home.

Parker was named the club’s player of the year in the following season, 2002/03, as the team improved to a 12th place finish.

This was his most prolific year at the Valley, as he scored four and assisted three from 28 top flight appearances.

Parker took his game to another level, and this was when he received a call-up to Sven Goran Eriksson’s England side.

All four of his goals came in victories for Charlton, including a 90th minute winner against Leeds United to complete a late comeback after Harry Kewell had initially put the Whites ahead at Elland Road.

He bagged a brace against West Ham later in the campaign as the team won 4-2, as well as the opener in a 2-1 victory against Southampton.

The midfielder’s final two goals came in a 3-2 loss to the Saints on 7 December 2003, but Charlton still managed a seventh place finish even after his January departure.

While it didn’t quite work out for Parker at Chelsea, he enjoyed successful stints at Newcastle United, West Ham, Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham later in his career.