But after beginning the season with four straight defeats, the east Londoners were never out of trouble, despite the efforts of Scott Parker, who was named Football Writers' Player of the Year.

My style is as deeply influenced by Charlie Parker’s repeated freewheeling riffs, say, as by F. Scott Fitzgerald’s elegantly flowing prose.

I know that Scotty Parker Shared that belief with me and we both had confidence that we would retain our Premiership status.