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West Ham: Scott Parker returns to east London after 15 years to succeed Nuno Espirito Santo as Hammers head coach
Parker replaces Nuno Espirito Santo, who was sacked on November 3 after just over 13 months in charge; the 46-year-old returns to east London 15 years after leaving as a player; he has won promotion from the Sky Bet Championship on three occasions
Wednesday 4 November 2026 09:40, UK
West Ham have appointed Scott Parker as their new head coach.
The 46-year-old has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal to succeed Nuno Espirito Santo, who was sacked on November 3 after just over 13 months in charge.
First-team coaches Steve Potts, Gerard Prenderville and Billy Lepine will assist Parker. The club say Mark Noble will also be working closely with his former team-mate.
He will take charge of Wednesday night's match against Cardiff at the Cardiff City Stadium and takes over with Hammers sitting eighth in the table, six points behind leaders Middlesbrough.
"It is a very proud moment for me to step into this role and return to a club that means so much to me and my family," said Parker. "A lot of very fond memories of my time here - four years of probably the best football I played in my career.
"There was a warmth, a love, a feeling that I probably didn't have anywhere else. There was something which stood out constantly and that was the relationship that I built up with the fanbase here. That rapport and respect, that I felt instantly.
"More than anything, this is an opportunity that I am very excited about. I feel privileged and honoured to be the guy that wants to lead us back to the Premier League and be the head coach of this football club at this moment in time.
"My energy levels, my enthusiasm, my desire, my passion - it's absolutely running through and that's the feeling I had as soon as there was a conversation that this was possible. That's exactly why I'm here and why I want to be here."
Parker has won promotion three times from the Sky Bet Championship: with Fulham in 2019/20, Bournemouth in 2021/22 and Burnley in 2024/25.
His appointment comes 15 years after he left the club as a player in August 2011.
The former England international played 129 times for the Hammers, scoring 12 goals.
He had been out of work since April, after leaving Burnley by mutual consent.
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West Ham's upcoming Championship fixtures
- November 4: Cardiff City (A), kick-off 7.45pm, live on Sky Sports
- November 7: Blackburn (A), kick-off 3pm
- November 21: Preston (H), kick-off 3pm
- November 24: Portsmouth (A), kick-off 7.45pm, live on Sky Sports
- November 28: Stoke City (H), kick-off 3pm
- December 4: Sheffield Utd (A), kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports
- December 8: Middlesbrough (H), kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports
