Paul Parker: Racism and my time at United
Former United star Paul Parker on racism and his golden years at Old Trafford
HE challenged for the ball in front of the Stretford End on a typically cold Monday night under the lights of Old Trafford.
The clash with Lee Sharpe was so fierce that the ball popped, and the baffled referee eventually awarded a corner to Manchester United.
It was 1989, and Sir Alex Ferguson was desperate to win the FA Cup tie.
Paul Parker, the opposition defender for Queens Park Rangers, made his way to the near post to defend the set-piece, only to hear a large batch of Manchester United fans chanting at him: “Shoot that n ***** .”
“I stopped and looked at them, put a fake gun to my head with my hands, pulled the trigger and then just shook my head and said ‘nah,’” he tells the M.E.N.
“And what did they do? They all started laughing, because they were embarrassed.”
It was the best way he’d found to deal with an awful situation that was all too familiar to players of his generation.
“Do I cry? Do I crumble? No, you don’t. I think the worst thing you can do as a black player is walk off the pitch, because you’re giving them what they want.
“If you don’t like something in life, you can’t walk away. You need to prove a point, you need to show you deserve to be there.
Be a better man. Be a better footballer.”
United won the game 3-0, a victory that set them on their way to winning the FA Cup that season.
It was Ferguson’s first trophy as manager - but he’d go on to win many more, and with Parker in his side.
Having had four successful seasons at QPR, the full-back who represented England in that iconic Italia ‘90 World Cup semi-final against Germany was hot property.
He recalls Sheffield Wednesday, Arsenal, Everton and the team he supported as a young lad, Tottenham, all showing interest.
Parker was sat in discussions with then-Spurs boss Terry Venables about a lucrative move to White Hart Lane when his agent got a call. It was Maurice Watkins, a non-executive director at United, telling him that Parker was wanted at Old Trafford too.
Parker recalls: “Straight away we drove up to Manchester. Walking around the pitch, being shown around by Sir Alex. In my head right there it was done.
“It was never about money. Spurs had offered me more.
“I’m a big believer that if you get a chance to test yourself and challenge yourself, go and do it. Manchester United was that challenge for me.”
Parker had arrived to a dressing room that included Bryan Robson, Denis Irwin, Mark Hughes, Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister.
The side won the League Cup in Parker’s first season - it may not be among the major trophies in the story of Manchester United, but it was his favourite. His first as a professional. They also bagged the European Super Cup.
It was in his second season that the big trophy arrived. The Premier League was formed and United were set to be its inaugural winners, ending a 26-year wait for a league title.
The side marched their way to another league title in 1993/94 - as well as an FA Cup, the trophy Parker had dreamed of winning his whole career.
But despite enjoying all this success, Parker wouldn’t let his parents go to see him play because of the sickening abuse he would receive.
Today, the Black Lives Matter movement has brought the problem of racism to the forefront in football. It’s not a movement Parker endorses. He insists ‘football and politics don’t mix’ and is critical of players taking the knee before kick-off - he feels it’s ‘for social media’ and won’t lead to tangible change.
“Would I do that if I was playing today? Not a chance,” he says.
“I believe in what Show Racism the Red Card are doing, I’ve been involved in that.
“They’re going into schools, with an emphasis on education, that’s how I feel we address it.”
He reflects now on those who racially abused him as ‘not racist... just ignorant.’
“Players who played in my era, we knew we couldn’t argue back. That’s why there were so many great black players in that time, because we were - and are still - so mentally strong. We were doing what we felt we were destined to do.
“No one was ever going to take away our dream by making stupid noises.”