
The Romford Pelé
It's Only Ray Parlour's Autobiography
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $14.52
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Paul Thornley
-
By:
-
Ray Parlour
About this listen
Ooh, ah, Ray Parlour! Nicknamed the Romford Pele for his solid but unglamorous image, Ray Parlour is one of the most well-loved Arsenal players of the last few decades. A loyal club servant for over 14 years (1992-2007), he is revered among the Arsenal faithful for his down-to-earth Essex charm, his mischievous sense of humour and his hardworking performances on the pitch.
Often in the shadows of his flashier teammates, he didn't have the flair of a Pires or an Henry, but he worked tirelessly to become an integral part of many of George Graham's and Arsene Wenger's greatest sides, including the Invincibles of 2004.
In this wonderfully funny and candid autobiography, full of side-splitting stories, Parlour looks back fondly on his life and career. From the all-day drinking sessions and banter of the Tony Adams years to the antics he got up to with his more cultured continental teammates, teaching Thierry Henry cockney rhyming slang and Dennis Bergkamp how to play golf, this is a portrait of a man who was as loved as much for his personality as for his often underrated talent.
From his days as a schoolboy working on market stalls to playing alongside the world's finest players in the Champions League, it is also the rags-to-riches story of a career that spanned enormous change in British football, the likes of which may not be seen again.
©2016 Random House Audiobooks (P)2016 Random House AudiobooksListeners also enjoyed...
-
Calling the Shots
- How to Win in Football and Life
- By: David Dein
- Narrated by: Arsène Wenger, David Dein
- Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There's no doubt that Dein has been one of the most significant and influential figures in British football for over three decades—operating at club and international level. He was a prime mover in the creation of the Premier League, hugely influential within the England set-up and, of course, was the mastermind—along with Arsène Wenger—in creating the glory days of Arsenal Football Club, leading the team for almost a quarter of a century.
-
-
Modern Day Herbert Chapman
- By Will on 02-10-23
By: David Dein
-
A Life in Football: My Autobiography
- My Autobiography
- By: Ian Wright
- Narrated by: Paul Mendez
- Length: 9 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ian Wright, Arsenal legend, England striker and TV pundit extraordinaire, is one of the most interesting and relevant figures in modern football. His journey from a South London council estate to national treasure is everybody's dream. From Sunday morning football directly to Crystal Palace; from 'boring, boring Arsenal' to inside the Wenger Revolution; from Saturday afternoons on the pitch to Saturday evenings on primetime television; from a week in prison to inspiring youth offenders, Ian will reveal all about his extraordinary life and career.
-
-
Simply inspiring
- By Amazon Customer on 10-17-24
By: Ian Wright
-
Wenger
- My Life and Lessons in Red & White
- By: Arsène Wenger
- Narrated by: Arsène Wenger
- Length: 6 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Wenger: My Life and Lessons in Red and White, world-renowned and revolutionary soccer coach Arsène Wenger finally tells his own story for the very first time. Wenger opens up about his life, sharing principles for success on and off the field with lessons on leadership, personal development, and management.
-
-
Nostalgic but not overly compelling
- By Scott Shepherd on 11-25-20
By: Arsène Wenger
-
From the Oasthouse: The Alan Partridge Podcast (Series 1)
- An Audible Original
- By: Alan Partridge
- Narrated by: Alan Partridge
- Length: 6 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Broadcaster, writer, philanthroper and one of the first public figures to suggest high-visibility clothing for people manning temporary car parks, the public Alan Partridge is a cherished institution. But what of the unseen Alan? For the first time, this famously private man welcomes us into his home and audibly deshrouds himself for a fascinating series of podcasts.
-
-
Simply genius
- By O. S. on 09-04-20
By: Alan Partridge
-
The Second Half
- By: Roy Keane, Roddy Doyle
- Narrated by: Roy Keane, Stephen Hogan
- Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Narrated by Stephen Hogan and introduced by Roy Keane. In an 18-year playing career for Cobh Ramblers, Nottingham Forest, and Manchester United (under Sir Alex Ferguson) and Celtic, Roy Keane dominated every midfield he led to glory. Aggressive and highly competitive, his attitude helped him to excel as captain of Manchester United from 1997 until his departure in 2005.
-
-
Hero, kindred
- By Anonymous User on 04-03-25
By: Roy Keane, and others
-
Big Sam: My Autobiography
- By: Sam Allardyce
- Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble, Colleen Prendergast
- Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Football fans will love this insight into the life and mind of Big Sam. With nearly 20 years as a player - plus almost 25 years as a coach and manager - under his belt, Sam Allardyce is one of the most recognisable figures in British football. 'Big Sam' has been a robust defensive general throughout the seventies and eighties, and an imposing touchline presence as a gaffer since 1994. Over the last four decades, Allardyce has seen it all.
-
-
Love his journey... worth a listen
- By PG on 05-18-20
By: Sam Allardyce
-
Calling the Shots
- How to Win in Football and Life
- By: David Dein
- Narrated by: Arsène Wenger, David Dein
- Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There's no doubt that Dein has been one of the most significant and influential figures in British football for over three decades—operating at club and international level. He was a prime mover in the creation of the Premier League, hugely influential within the England set-up and, of course, was the mastermind—along with Arsène Wenger—in creating the glory days of Arsenal Football Club, leading the team for almost a quarter of a century.
-
-
Modern Day Herbert Chapman
- By Will on 02-10-23
By: David Dein
-
A Life in Football: My Autobiography
- My Autobiography
- By: Ian Wright
- Narrated by: Paul Mendez
- Length: 9 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ian Wright, Arsenal legend, England striker and TV pundit extraordinaire, is one of the most interesting and relevant figures in modern football. His journey from a South London council estate to national treasure is everybody's dream. From Sunday morning football directly to Crystal Palace; from 'boring, boring Arsenal' to inside the Wenger Revolution; from Saturday afternoons on the pitch to Saturday evenings on primetime television; from a week in prison to inspiring youth offenders, Ian will reveal all about his extraordinary life and career.
-
-
Simply inspiring
- By Amazon Customer on 10-17-24
By: Ian Wright
-
Wenger
- My Life and Lessons in Red & White
- By: Arsène Wenger
- Narrated by: Arsène Wenger
- Length: 6 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Wenger: My Life and Lessons in Red and White, world-renowned and revolutionary soccer coach Arsène Wenger finally tells his own story for the very first time. Wenger opens up about his life, sharing principles for success on and off the field with lessons on leadership, personal development, and management.
-
-
Nostalgic but not overly compelling
- By Scott Shepherd on 11-25-20
By: Arsène Wenger
-
From the Oasthouse: The Alan Partridge Podcast (Series 1)
- An Audible Original
- By: Alan Partridge
- Narrated by: Alan Partridge
- Length: 6 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Broadcaster, writer, philanthroper and one of the first public figures to suggest high-visibility clothing for people manning temporary car parks, the public Alan Partridge is a cherished institution. But what of the unseen Alan? For the first time, this famously private man welcomes us into his home and audibly deshrouds himself for a fascinating series of podcasts.
-
-
Simply genius
- By O. S. on 09-04-20
By: Alan Partridge
-
The Second Half
- By: Roy Keane, Roddy Doyle
- Narrated by: Roy Keane, Stephen Hogan
- Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Narrated by Stephen Hogan and introduced by Roy Keane. In an 18-year playing career for Cobh Ramblers, Nottingham Forest, and Manchester United (under Sir Alex Ferguson) and Celtic, Roy Keane dominated every midfield he led to glory. Aggressive and highly competitive, his attitude helped him to excel as captain of Manchester United from 1997 until his departure in 2005.
-
-
Hero, kindred
- By Anonymous User on 04-03-25
By: Roy Keane, and others
-
Big Sam: My Autobiography
- By: Sam Allardyce
- Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble, Colleen Prendergast
- Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Football fans will love this insight into the life and mind of Big Sam. With nearly 20 years as a player - plus almost 25 years as a coach and manager - under his belt, Sam Allardyce is one of the most recognisable figures in British football. 'Big Sam' has been a robust defensive general throughout the seventies and eighties, and an imposing touchline presence as a gaffer since 1994. Over the last four decades, Allardyce has seen it all.
-
-
Love his journey... worth a listen
- By PG on 05-18-20
By: Sam Allardyce
-
Lioness - My Journey to Glory
- By: Beth Mead, Ian Wright - foreword, Jermain Defoe - afterword
- Narrated by: Dipo Ola, Emily Spowage
- Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Beth Mead is one of the world's most talented female footballers - Golden Boot winner and Player of the Tournament at the UEFA Euros 2022, Arsenal Player of the Season 2021-22, and nominee for the 2022 Ballon d'Or. But long before this, Beth was just an ordinary kid from Hinderwell, North Yorkshire who wanted to play football.
-
-
Very inspiring
- By R. Burroughs on 01-17-24
By: Beth Mead, and others
-
Sevens Heaven
- The Beautiful Chaos of Fiji's Olympic Dream
- By: Ben Ryan
- Narrated by: Ben Ryan
- Length: 8 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It is late summer 2013. Ben Ryan, a red-haired, 40-something, spectacle-wearing Englishman, is given 20 minutes to decide whether he wants to coach Fiji's rugby sevens team, with the aim of taking them to the nation's first-ever Olympic medal. He has never been to Fiji. There has been no discussion of contracts or salary. But he knows that no one plays rugby like the men from these isolated Pacific islands, just as no one plays football like the kids from the Brazilian favelas, or no one runs as fast as the boys and girls from Jamaica's boondocks.
-
-
Brilliant
- By Karissa Townes on 06-13-23
By: Ben Ryan
-
Spain
- The Inside Story of La Roja's Historic Treble
- By: Graham Hunter
- Narrated by: Graham Hunter
- Length: 16 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is the story of the greatest achievement in the history of international football. After decades of failure, Spain won the European Championship in 2008 and then the World Cup in 2010. At Euro 2012 they became the first team to win three consecutive tournament titles. Graham Hunter was inside the dressing room as the players celebrated after the finals of the World Cup and Euro 2012.
-
-
Insider look masterclass
- By Peter on 08-07-15
By: Graham Hunter
-
The Football Ramble
- By: Marcus Speller, Pete Donaldson, Luke Aaron Moore, and others
- Narrated by: Marcus Speller, Pete Donaldson, Luke Aaron Moore, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Downloaded over 10 million times a year, The Football Ramble podcast has established itself as the essential independent voice of football punditry. The weekly podcast has resonated with supporters around the world, and their sold-out live shows have been a massive hit with supporters. This audiobook is a collaboration by all four presenters and tackles the real issues from fans you won't see or hear on Sky Sports - or anywhere else, for that matter.
-
-
Best Performance
- By Amazon Customer on 11-15-16
By: Marcus Speller, and others
-
Mr. Hockey
- My Story
- By: Gordie Howe
- Narrated by: Don Hagen
- Length: 6 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Big, skilled, tough on the ice, and nearly indestructible, Howe dominated both the sport and the record books like no one has before or since. Over an incredible six decades, the Hall of Famer had so many accomplishments that he set the record for the most records by any athlete ever in any sport. He also achieved the remarkable feat of playing for six years with his own two sons, Mark and Marty.
-
-
Loved!!
- By Tattooed Birdy on 07-02-21
By: Gordie Howe
-
Bo's Lasting Lessons
- The Legendary Coach Teaches the Timeless Fundamentals of Leadership
- By: Bo Schembechler, John U. Bacon
- Narrated by: John H. Mayer
- Length: 3 hrs and 35 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Bo's Lasting Lessons, the coach draws on his years of experience, using first-person anecdotes to deliver timeless lessons on leadership, motivation, and responsibility. With pithy language, Bo explains that true leadership requires the compassion to actively listen to your people, and then to have the courage to do what is right every time.
-
-
Bo
- By Onlyme on 03-28-24
By: Bo Schembechler, and others
-
Instant Replay
- The Green Bay Diary of Jerry Kramer
- By: Jerry Kramer, Dick Schaap
- Narrated by: John Pruden
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This classic sports book takes listeners inside the 1967 season of the Green Bay Packers, following that storied team from training camp to their dramatic victory in Super Bowl II. Candid and often amusing, Jerry Kramer describes from a player's perspective a bygone era of sports, filled with blood, grit, and tears. No game better exemplifies this period than the classic "Ice Bowl" conference championship game between the Packers and the Dallas Cowboys, which Kramer, who made the crucial block in the climactic play, describes in thrilling detail.
-
-
A Sports Classic
- By W. Hetfield on 03-17-25
By: Jerry Kramer, and others
-
No Spin
- The autobiography of Shane Warne
- By: Shane Warne, Mark Nicholas
- Narrated by: Rhys Muldoon
- Length: 13 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In No Spin, Shane sets the record straight. From his extraordinary family history to his childhood as a budding Aussie Rules footballer in suburban Melbourne. From the legendary 'Gatting ball' to his history-making 700th Test wicket. From the controversy surrounding the diuretic pill in South Africa to his high-profile relationship with Hollywood star Elizabeth Hurley. Nothing is off limits, and Shane tackles it all with his trademark directness and humour.
-
-
Great story
- By Abishek on 06-09-20
By: Shane Warne, and others
-
KP: The Autobiography
- By: Kevin Pietersen
- Narrated by: Byron Mondahl
- Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The fascinating life story of professional cricketer Kevin Pietersen, MBE, from his childhood in South Africa to his recent experiences as one of the leading lights in the world of international cricket.
-
-
Very honest and frank writing.
- By ibbs on 10-23-14
By: Kevin Pietersen
-
Alex Ferguson:
- My Autobiography
- By: Alex Ferguson
- Narrated by: James Macpherson, Alex Ferguson
- Length: 9 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Revised and updated with new material from the paperback edition. Includes a prelude read by Sir Alex Ferguson. Sir Alex Ferguson's compelling story is always honest and revealing he reflects on his managerial career that embraced unprecedented European success for Aberdeen and 26 triumphant seasons with Manchester United.
-
-
Solid, if a little egotistical
- By J. MacDonald on 11-19-13
By: Alex Ferguson
-
Bring the Noise
- By: Raphael Honigstein
- Narrated by: Adam James
- Length: 8 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jürgen Klopp's coaching career began in the German second tier at the unfashionable club of FSV Mainz 05, whom he steered to the Budesliga for the first time in 41 years. In 2008, he joined Borussia Dortmund, where he won back-to-back league titles and took the club to the UEFA Champions League final. He left Germany for one of the England's most challenging jobs: to manage Liverpool, a once-mighty club that had not managed sustained success since the 1980s. It was not a task for the fainthearted. Anfield, Liverpool's home, is a temple to flamboyant attacking soccer powered by passion.
-
-
Great if you don’t speak german
- By digitalgopher on 05-18-20
-
Brave New World
- Inside Pochettino's Spurs
- By: Guillem Balague
- Narrated by: Piers Hampton
- Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The exclusive behind-the-scenes story of the Mauricio Pochettino revolution at Spurs, told in his own words. Since joining the club in 2014, Mauricio Pochettino has transformed Tottenham from underachievers into genuine title contenders. In the process, he has marked himself out as one of the best young managers in the world, more than holding his own against the Premier League's established heavyweights.
-
-
Brave
- By Amazon Customer on 02-03-18
By: Guillem Balague
What listeners say about The Romford Pelé
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 02-08-21
Ok...
Good if you are an Arsenal fan... Ok if not. I bit flat in terms of story... I would say good for when you are doing boring jobs.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Nigel M. Templeman
- 06-17-23
Good background story for when you’re running or at the gym
Ray’s a genuine guy, and I’m sure a good friend.
He loves his banter, his playing days and his drinking.
Had a wonderful desire to succeed, but this book is more about the laughs and pints he had along the way.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!