Fulham captain Scott Parker has announced his retirement from football.
The 36 year-old midfielder made 31 appearances for Slavisa Jokanovic’s side last season as the Whites reached the Championship play-off semi-finals. Parker’s Craven Cottage contract was due to expire at the end of the month but he had been in discussions with Fulham over the prospect of a new deal.
“I believe now is the right time to move on to the next chapter in my life and career,” he said in a statement. “I feel incredibly honoured and proud to have enjoyed the career that I have and I’ve loved every moment of it.”
Parker won eighteen England caps after making his international debut in 2003 and captained his country in a friendly against Holland in 2012. The experienced midfielder made more than 450 league appearances in a career that saw him star as a teenager at Charlton before making a big-money move to Chelsea. He also had spells with Newcastle, West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur.
Parker made 128 first-team appearances in four years at Fulham, scoring six goals, and has recently completed his coaching badges.