West Ham United Parris turned professional the following year in September 1982. A lengthy spell of
reserve team football followed before he made his
First Division debut in the final match of the
1984–85 season at home against
Liverpool in May 1985. He made a handful of appearances in the first half of the
1985–86 season, then replaced the injured
Steve Walford at left-back and impressed as the West Ham won 11 of their last 14 games to finish third in the table. Parris made 48 league and cup games appearances in the
1986–87 season. The arrival of left-back
Tommy McQueen in March 1987 saw Parris move briefly to midfield but he returned to the left-back position for much of the
1987–88 season until the arrival of
Julian Dicks in March 1988, whose form led to Parris playing at right-back or midfield for most of the rest of his career at West Ham. He made 32 league and cup appearance in the
1988–89 season as West Ham reached the semi-finals of the
League Cup but were relegated to
Division Two, and 49 league and cup appearances in the
1989–90 season as West Ham again reached the semi-finals of the League Cup. He made 55 league and cup appearances in the
1990–91 season, returning to left-back when Julian Dicks suffered a severe knee injury in October 1990, scoring in four successive games in January 1991 and helping West Ham to promotion back to the First Division and to the semi-finals of the
FA Cup. His performances that season saw him voted as runner-up to
Ludek Miklosko as 'Hammer of the Year'. Parris made only 27 league and cup appearances in the
1991–92 season; he suffered a knee injury against
Aston Villa on Boxing Day that required surgery, and then collapsed during his comeback game against
Arsenal in March 1992 with a suspected heart-related problem. He returned to the first team in the opening game of the
1992–93 season against
Barnsley and made 18 league and cup appearances before
Birmingham City made an offer for him in March 1993. Parris had made 300 first-team appearances for West Ham, scoring 20 goals. In April 1995, after he had left the club, Parris was granted a
testimonial by West Ham. Played in front of only 1,382 fans a West Ham team lost 3–2 to
Ipswich Town at The
Boleyn Ground. During his time with West Ham, Parris was subjected to much
racial abuse, including
having a banana thrown at him. He picked it up and ate it, making a gesture as if to say "Thanks! I needed that!".
Birmingham City Parris joined Birmingham City in March 1993 for a fee of £100,000, where he was made captain. Injuries and a change of manager in November 1993 saw him fall out of favour and he spent the
1994–95 season on loan at
Brentford,
Bristol City and
Brighton & Hove Albion before being released. Parris had made 42 league and cup appearances for Birmingham City.
Brighton and Hove Albion After a trial with Stoke and a short spell with
Norrköping in Sweden, Parris signed a permanent deal with Brighton in September 1995 and stayed for two seasons. He was made captain and made 63 first-team appearances before being released on a free transfer in May 1997. He was best remembered for an impudent goal against
Bristol Rovers in October 1995 when he came from behind the Rovers goalkeeper as he released the ball to dispossess him and score. ==Later career==