Phil Parkes
The safe hands that lifted the FA Cup and silenced Highbury.
Phil Parkes is a legendary goalkeeper who stands as one of West Ham United's greatest-ever custodians, a towering 6'4" figure between the posts during the club's most successful modern era. His role was not just to keep goals out but to inspire confidence across the backline, becoming the last line of a resilient, counter-attacking side—and the first to launch one with a pinpoint throw.
Quick Facts
- Full name
- Philip Benjamin Neil Frederick Parkes
- Born
- 8 August 1950
- Birthplace
- Sedgley, England
- Height
- 6 ft 3 in / 1.91 m
- Position
- Goalkeeper
- Total caps
- 743
Facts from the source article.
Background
He quickly became the foundation of a team that blended grit with flair, his towering frame and sharp reflexes making him a nightmare for opposing strikers. His finest hour came in 1980, when his heroic saves against Arsenal in the FA Cup final—especially a breathtaking low stop from Liam Brady's curling shot—secured a famous 1-0 victory, the club's last major trophy for decades. Parkes was also a key figure in the 1985–86 season, when West Ham finished third in the First Division, their highest league position in his time. He played over 300 games for the club, his consistency earning him a place in the hearts of the East End faithful, who still sing his name on the terraces.
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