Ray Parlour’s 12 best anecdotes: Kolo Toure, Spurs, playing drunk & more
Ray Parlour won nine major honours and went a full Premier League season unbeaten as a player for Arsenal – and most importantly he has plenty of incredible stories about it all.
The midfielder, nicknamed the “Romford Pele”, is a regular on talkSPORT and often has us in fits of laughter listening to some of the crazy things that went on during the 90s and 2000s.
We’ve picked out some of our favourite stories…
The Double
In 2002, Arsenal completed the Double as they won the Premier League and FA Cup.
Parlour scored in the cup final and has since recalled the few days that followed – including an away game against title rivals Manchester United.
Ray Parlour was a superb midfielder, underrated throughout and beyond his playing days. Fortunately for us all, if there’s one thing besides football he‘s equally adept at it’s storytelling. Enjoy this one, won’t you.
🎥 – @SoccerAMpic.twitter.com/YGhczI9SvZ
— These Football Times (@thesefootytimes) May 9, 2020
Kolo Toure
The centre-back certainly had an eventful trial.
Keown on Sherwood
Martin Keown knows how to hold a grudge.
Right on the sauce
A long flight to South Africa, a sleeping manager and a training session a few hours after landing. What could go wrong?
Tottenham mates
When Parlour spotted two of his Spurs-supporting mates at White Hart Lane, he thought he’d have some fun…
Another classic @RealRomfordPele north London derby story! 😂
You can hear Tottenham v Arsenal live on talkSPORT tomorrow from 12:30pm 📻 pic.twitter.com/Pbu9UjcJkw
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) February 9, 2018
Igors Stepanovs
We bet Arsene Wenger never listened to Parlour or Dennis Bergkamp ever again after this.
😡 “@MartinKeown5 never liked a CB coming in on trial.”
👌 “We were trying to wind Martin up saying Igor was unbelievable.”
🤦♂️ “Wenger was listening, didn’t realise what we were doing & bought him!”
Ray Parlour tells an hilarious story about Igors Stepanovs at #AFC! 🤣 pic.twitter.com/Q19i7PhGTU
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) September 10, 2021
The Carlsberg Lounge
If this teaches us one thing, it’s to always be ready. But free beer is never something to turn down.
Black eye
Sounds like it’s fairly easy to con Arsene Wenger.
Sir Alex
Fergie even managed to get George Graham to break his own strict rules.
“George Graham had been drinking with Sir Alex and couldn’t walk!”
Ray Parlour with another classic story from his days at #Arsenal… 🍺🚎😂
📻 https://t.co/AYsRgJWZEr pic.twitter.com/2cmu7PnADW
— talkSPORT Breakfast (@TSBreakfast) February 6, 2018
What a plant pot
As if they thought no-one would notice.
Steve Bould
“You guys can do whatever you want tonight.” This was only ever going to end one way.
More Arsenal
Paul Merson on George Graham at Arsenal, Andy Cole & disobeying the FBI
Can you name every player to score one PL goal for Arsenal?
Perry Groves: We partied until 6.15am after winning title in 1989
Lee Dixon on Graham vs Wenger & Ian Wright punching Steve Bruce