Eric Parsons

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Eric George Parsons (9 November 1923 – 7 February 2011) was an English footballer known for his speed and his nickname “the Rabbit.” Born in Worthing, he was spotted playing for Worthing Boys and joined West Ham United. He debuted on 4 January 1947 against Leicester City and became a regular, making 145 league appearances and scoring 34 goals for West Ham before moving to Chelsea in 1950 for a club-record fee of £23,000.

At Chelsea (1950–1956) he played 158 league games and scored 37 goals. He was a key part of Ted Drake’s team and played in every game of Chelsea’s first post-war championship season (1954–55), contributing 11 goals, including two in the 3–0 win over Sheffield Wednesday that clinched the title. The crowd once chanted “We want Rabbit” in his honor. Parsons earned two England B caps in 1949.

Parsons left Chelsea in 1956 for Brentford, where he made 118 league appearances and scored 18 goals. He later played for Dover before retiring, having accumulated over 400 league appearances in his career. He sustained a broken leg while at Brentford but continued playing afterward.

After football, he remained in Worthing and played for the town’s bowling club. He died in Worthing on 7 February 2011, aged 87. In 2004–05, he was invited to Chelsea’s trophy presentation as a surviving member of the 1954–55 title-winning side.