Scott Parker named West Ham head coach on 2.5-year deal after Espirito Santo sacking
Synopsis
West Ham have gone back to their roots — literally. Scott Parker, a three-time Hammer of the Year and the only active English football manager to have won Championship promotions with three different clubs, is now tasked with taking the east London side back to the Premier League. It is a signing driven by emotional pull and cold logic in equal measure.
Key Takeaways
Scott Parker appointed West Ham United head coach on 4 November 2026 on a two-and-a-half-year contract .
Nuno Espirito Santo was sacked on Tuesday after back-to-back losses left the club eighth in the EFL Championship.
Parker has won three EFL Championship promotions — with Fulham ( 2020 ), Bournemouth ( 2022 ), and Burnley ( 2025 ).
He made 129 appearances for West Ham between 2007 and 2011 , winning Hammer of the Year three consecutive times .
Parker is only the second West Ham player ever — after Bobby Moore — to have won the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year award.
Backroom staff includes Steve Potts , Gerard Prenderville , Billy Lepine , and Mark Noble .
West Ham United have appointed Scott Parker as their new men's first-team head coach, the club confirmed on Wednesday, 4 November 2026. The former Hammers captain has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract at London Stadium, returning to the club where he made his name as a player.
Why Parker and Why Now
Parker's appointment follows the sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo on Tuesday, after back-to-back defeats left West Ham eighth in the EFL Championship table. The 46-year-old takes charge immediately, with his first game a Wednesday evening EFL Championship fixture at Cardiff City.
The timing underlines the board's urgency. West Ham, a club that spent over a decade in the Premier League before relegation, are rebuilding — and they have turned to a manager with a specific, proven record of delivering promotions from this exact division.
Parker's Remarkable Promotion Record
Parker arrives with an extraordinary track record in the Championship. He guided Fulham to the Premier League in 2020, AFC Bournemouth in 2022, and Burnley in 2025 — achieving promotion with three different clubs in five years. He also won the EFL Championship Manager of the Season award in 2024/25 with Burnley. No other active manager in English football has an equivalent record of Championship promotions across multiple clubs.
What Parker Said
'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. A lot of very fond memories of my time here — four years of probably the best football I played in my career,' Parker said.
'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,' he added.
A Deep Connection to the Club
Parker made 129 appearances for West Ham as a player between 2007 and 2011, winning the Hammer of the Year award three consecutive times. In the 2010/11 season, he became only the second player in the club's history — after the legendary Bobby Moore — to win the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year award.
West Ham interim CEO Karim Virani described Parker as 'the unanimous choice of the Board,' adding: 'He has fantastic experience and pedigree across an outstanding playing and coaching career, a clear and proven track record of success as a Head Coach in the EFL Championship, and a deep understanding of West Ham United, its identity and our loyal and passionate fanbase.'
Support Staff and What Comes Next
Parker will be assisted by coaches Steve Potts, Gerard Prenderville, and Billy Lepine. Former West Ham captain Mark Noble will also work closely with the new manager, adding further club DNA to the backroom setup.
With Parker's promotion pedigree now pointed squarely at London Stadium, the club's fanbase will expect a swift upturn in results — beginning at Cardiff on Wednesday night.
Point of View
And Parker has done it in five years. The real question is whether a squad that is currently eighth, mid-season, can be reshaped quickly enough to mount a promotion challenge; Espirito Santo barely had time to impose a system. If Parker's first instinct is to return to the high-energy, pressing structure that characterised his Bournemouth and Burnley sides, the January transfer window becomes critical. A manager of his pedigree should not be judged on Wednesday's result at Cardiff — he should be judged by where West Ham sit in March.
NationPress
4 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Nuno Espirito Santo sacked by West Ham?
Nuno Espirito Santo was dismissed on Tuesday after back-to-back defeats left West Ham eighth in the EFL Championship. The board moved quickly to replace him, with Scott Parker confirmed as his successor the following day.
What is Scott Parker's coaching record in the Championship?
Scott Parker has an exceptional Championship record, winning promotion to the Premier League with three different clubs — Fulham in 2020, AFC Bournemouth in 2022, and Burnley in 2025. He also won the EFL Championship Manager of the Season award in 2024/25.
What is Scott Parker's connection to West Ham United?
Parker made 129 appearances for West Ham between 2007 and 2011, captaining the side and winning the Hammer of the Year award three consecutive times. He is only the second player in the club's history, after Bobby Moore, to win the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year award.
How long is Scott Parker's contract at West Ham?
Parker has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract at London Stadium, covering him through the foreseeable future as the club bids to return to the Premier League.
Who is in Scott Parker's coaching staff at West Ham?
Parker's backroom team includes coaches Steve Potts, Gerard Prenderville, and Billy Lepine. Former club captain Mark Noble will also work closely with the management, adding further institutional knowledge of the club.
