- published: 01 Aug 2015
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Martin Raymond Keown (born 24 July 1966) is a former English footballer who played as a defender from 1984 to 2005 notably in the Premier League for Arsenal where he made over 300 appearances for the club and won nine major trophies.
He also played for Brighton & Hove Albion, Aston Villa, Everton, Leicester City and Reading. Keown made his England debut in 1992 against France and went on to win 43 caps for the national side over the next 10 years, gradually forming a respected defensive partnership with Arsenal team-mate Tony Adams at both club and international level. Keown represented England at four major international football finals including the 1998 and 2002 World Cups.
He is now a part-time scout and coach for Arsenal, as well as a pundit for the BBC, ESPN, TV3 Ireland, and Al Jazeera Sports +3.
A tough and uncompromising centre back from Oxford, Keown played for local sides and his local Gaelic football team as a boy, before joining Arsenal on a schoolboy contract in 1980, though he made his professional debut on loan at Brighton & Hove Albion in 1984.
Raymond "Ray" Parlour (born 7 March 1973 in Barking, London, UK), is a retired English footballer. He spent his career playing for Arsenal, Middlesbrough and Hull City. During his Arsenal career he was nicknamed "The Romford Pelé"; although the nickname was given with an ironic sense of humour, on account of his solid performance but unglamorous image. He has been described as an "unsung hero" and praised as a "fans' favourite" for his high-energy performances. He is now a pundit on television, as well as on radio stations BBC Radio 5 Live and Talksport.
Parlour is most famous for his time at Arsenal, where he played for 14 years. He joined Arsenal as a trainee in 1989, and made his debut for the Gunners against Liverpool on January 29, 1992, where he conceded a penalty in a 2–0 defeat. Parlour continued to be a bit-part player for the next few years, and was more noted for several disciplinary problems (such as a run-in with a Hong Kong taxi driver while on tour). He did however make 12 appearances for the England U21 team during this time...