It's a Shame About Ray...

Ray advices Stevie G

2007-09-04T23:47:00.000-07:00

In The Sun Ray Parlour advices Steven Gerrard against having a cortisone injection, so he can play for England against Israel.
Ray goes on to say:

“I still have a sore left knee and some of that comes from playing when maybe I shouldn’t have.
“If I were a motor they would describe me as high mileage. But reliable!"

Indeed.

Ray Parlour on Arsecast

2007-08-24T01:56:00.000-07:00

This weeks arsecast has Ray Parlour as the subject of The Man in The Bar feature - it's very informative; who ever knew about www.rayparlourwillassasinatewhoeveryoulike.com before?

No more Hull for Ray

2007-06-02T02:57:00.000-07:00

After helping Hull to stay in the Championshhip, Rays relationship with the The Tigers has come to an end. Now we'll have to wait and see if a new club is ready to pick up Ray for next season.... c'mon, you know you wanna!

**update**

according to The Sun, Ray could be on his way to newly relegated Southend, if so it'll be Division One next season - at least it's closer to London.

Hull it is

2007-02-09T09:55:00.000-08:00

Instead of going south like suggested on this page, Ray as opted for staying in the Northeastern part of England, and has joined struggling Championship side Hull - good luck to Ray, and congrats to Hull for catching Rayzor on a contract running until this summer.

You need your bins on if you can’t see the goal from here, geezer

2007-02-01T00:14:00.000-08:00

Ah bless, Ray Parlour was making fun of Thierry when he arrived at the club. Good ol' Ray - as far as I remember clubs can sign people without contracts can sign after the transfer window has closed, so lets see who snaps up Rayzor.

And the good ol' one

2007-01-25T05:42:00.000-08:00

Ray released - Pompey round the corner

2007-01-25T05:18:00.000-08:00

18 months after the last post, we return, to announce that Ray Parlour has been released from his Boro contract. He will now return to London, and regain fitness while training with the Gunners. Should he regain most of his strength, I suspect he will go to the secret Arsenal burial ground, Portsmouth.

2005-05-09T07:31:00.000-07:00

Feels like a Ray of Light

As the season comes to an end, next weekend at least, it's time for quick round up here at Parlour Watch. 36 apperances for Boro this season. A couple of yellow cards and a red. No goal for the Rayzor - shame, but they undoubtly come next season. Boro's in pole position to go into Europe again next season, which is good for Boro and Parlour - am I the only one who smells and international comeback.... guess so.

2004-12-13T06:43:00.000-08:00

An impressive last minute comeback secured Middlesbrough 1 point against Southampton - Ray Parlour was substituted for Job 10 minutes before time, and got a '6' in The Sun.

Before the game Ray Parlour spoke about how Boro will have to be more concentrated if they want to end in top 4. (about last weeks City match)
"We just didn’t get started ... It was a bit flat, especially the first 20 minutes" Going 2 down against struggeling Sotton hardly shows great concentration, but still a good comeback. Let's hope Ray and the boys are more focused in next weekends home game against Villa.

2004-12-07T06:33:00.000-08:00

Another win for Ray Parlour and the Middlesbrough boys. Ray got a '7' rating in The Sun, in a game dominated by the return to form of JFH and Mark "Big Head" Viduka.

Due to Lazio's 2-2 game last week, Boro is also through in the UEFA Cup no matter what kind of result they get home against Zagreb - very nice.

And something Parlour related: On Middlesbrough fansite Fly me to the Moon they got their own Boro Player Rating, and who tops the list, no other than Ray Parlour, ahead of Stuart "Wonderboy" Downing and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink! Nice to see that Ray has already become a fan favorite.

2004-11-25T13:31:00.000-08:00

Just as you thought everything was quiet on the Parlour front, Ray jumps out and calls for a ban of fans, players, teams and countries who acts racist or fails to do something about the problem! Good one Rayzor!

Unfortunately Boro is currently 2 goal down against Villareal, with only 10 minutes to go. One point would send Middlesbrough through as one of the remaining 32 teams on the UEFA Cup, a cup that Ray Parlour thinks Boro could go on and win. "I honestly don’t see any reason why we cannot go all the way in this competition and win it — especially when you look at the quality players we’ve got here. (...) This club is hungry for success after winning our first trophy — the Carling Cup — last season" says the Romford Romario!

2004-11-22T11:39:00.000-08:00

It's either or I'm hoping for a simple way of saying

Parlour Watch is now on stand-by mode. Since it was never meant to be a Middlesbrough blog and Rayzor ain't exactly generating tons of stories himself, this blog will not be updated until something exciting happeneds... like a Ray Parlour hattrick against Chelsea... or a stunner against United!

Ray is playing a lot for Boro, and they are currently number 4 in the league, way ahead of United, lets hope it stays that way!

Ohh arrr, Ray Parlour!

End of transmission

2004-10-18T07:54:00.000-07:00

Another good game for Ray Parlour and his Middlesbrough mates. The star of Boro's 4-0 thrashing of Blackburn was the former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who's hattrick secured the victory thoroughly. Ray got a '7' rating in The Sun and played the entire game.

The victory also pushed Boro ahead of United in the table, just as I predicted... if it's the same at the end of October, I will start betting some more.... how about Middlesbrough winning the League Cup again, first goal of the final; Ray Parlour, from 30 yards!

2004-10-16T05:25:00.000-07:00

Don't you just hate when people start up a real exciting new blog, and then 5 posts in completely neglects it!

Sorry about that, it won't happened again!

Ray should positively be back for Boro's away game at Ewood Park. If my prediction about Middlesbrough being over Manchester United in the table, by the end of October are going to be valid, 3 points will be necessary. But with United only 2 points ahead, and a game against Arsenal next Sunday, it shouldn't be impossible!

It's been a pretty good start of the season for McClarens boys. Viduka and Hasselbaink has both been on target, and the midfield seems very strong indeed. With the appearance of Start Downing, there should be even more competition for a starting place.

More if today's game brings something interesting to light!

2004-08-16T09:18:00.000-07:00

Saturday Ray Parlour played his first official game for Middlesbrough, and got a draw and a yellow card for his efforts. As predicted on Parlour Watch weeks ago, Ray played in shirt number 15, just as he did while at Arsenal. The Arsenal 15 shirt is currently without an owner, but we doubt that it will stay sacred like Tony Adams number 6 shirt!

There were some problems with downloading Parlour's FA final 2002 goal, but if you do it via the lovely, but sadly un-updated, Ray Parlour tribute page, it should be possible - it's in the Ray FA cup special section!

The next Boro game will bring Ray back to his football home of 11 years, as they travel to London and Highbury. A warm applause should be ensured for the Romford Romario!

2004-08-09T08:19:00.000-07:00

Less than a week till the Premier League kicks off, Boro's and Parlour's first game being home against Newcastle. Even though they have a hard start, with an away game against Arsenal following, I'm still certain that Boro will be over Manchester United in the table at the end of October!

To pass the time untill another season of football and beer at the pub begins, here is a link to Ray's famous FA Cup goal against Chelsea... and yeah, it's only Ray Parlour!

2004-08-03T11:04:00.000-07:00

Only just a week old, and Parlour Watch unfortunately has to report Rays first taste of defeat in his new jersey. Luckily it was only in another friendly game that Boro lost 1-3 against German side Hansa Rostock. Ray once again played the entire 90 minutes and was, sort of, involved in the lonely Boro goal... he passed to ball to a guy, who passed it on to another player, onwards to another player... and in the end in ended up in front of Joseph Job who scored!

Parlour was joined in the midfield by our less than favorite player, Bolo Zenden, who not only sport a shitty haircut but also used to play for Chelsea. Never the less; he has now also joined Middlesbrough on a 1 year contract, after spending lasty season on loan at Riverside.

Former Gunner and now Villa manager David O'Leary has told that he would have loved to sign Ray Parlour, but that Aston Villa simply hadn't got the money to pay his wages. A shame for the Brommy club!

And people are starting to discuss Middlesbroughs attempt to crash the big boys party . Though the articles questions Rays pace, it still has some nice things to say; "He will offer the calming influence and maturity that could help tame the egos of the wild boys up front". And I'm sure Rayzor can still out run a defender or two.... well, Pascal Cygan at least!

2004-07-28T03:48:00.000-07:00

A week after his shift, Ray Parlour played his first game for his new team. Boro beat Division One side Nottingham Forest 4-1 in a pre-season friendly. The goals set in by Frank Quedrue, Joseph Job and a double from Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. According to the official Middlesbrough page, Ray played the entire 90 minutes, and ‘grew in strength as the game progressed, winning tackles and spraying the ball around at will’!

In other, older, news Arsene Wenger has named Ray Parlour ‘a hero’. The Professor pays tribute to Parlour by saying; 'Ray [leaving] is a big loss and we wish him good luck...He has been a hero for the football club and it is a sad day for us' - nice words from a man who manages the best team in England.

Parlour is also mentioned here, where Wenger talks about team spirit, after saying goodbye to last seasons two 400+ game players, Keown and Parlour. 'I want to say a big thank you to Ray because we all had a great respect for him. He has been a big servant of us with 15 years at the Club. I wish him well, he'll be a tough opponent when we face him next season'.

The respect is mutual as an interview with Parlour show. 'He [Wenger] told me he wanted to keep me at Highbury. He would have loved me to stay', but when it was obvious that his contract would not be extended Wenger respected Rays wish for Premiership football. 'I am grateful Arsene was so understanding'.

Parlour change to M'Boro has been a costly affair, and not just for Ray who has accepted a serious pay cut, alongside not receiving a signing-on fee. The former mrs. Parlour is set to loose £2M, as she was intitled to a third of Rays earnings for the next 4 years. A shame for the greedy ex-mrs Parlour!

And a short message from across the pond.

2004-07-23T11:30:00.000-07:00

The Parlour Watch blog is born amidst a fanfare of pure silence and a rippling of no applause. Parlour has now left for Middlesbrough on a three year contract. But eventhough Ray is no longer a Gunner, there's still plenty of reason to keep an eye out for the Romford Romario, hence this blog!

Parlour Watch will be updated roughly once a week, featuring all about the ginger haired midfielder, his performances for M'Boro and other raylated stories... if they're there! It they're not, I will just dwell on his former adventures for Arsenal, including his stunner against Chelsea in the 2002 FA Cup final or his hattrick against Newcastle in 2000.

Although it's sad that he's no longer playing for Arsenal, it could be a lot worse. He's going to play European football, as M'Boro won the Carling Cup last year, and alongside Parlour they've made som pretty decent signings. There's bound to be at least 30 goal in the combined forces of Mark Viduka and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink! It also appears that Parlour will get the shirt number '15', like he had when he played for Arsenal, which I think is nice.

So welcome to Parlour Watch, drop by regularly!