Wrexham AFC are the oldest football club in Wales and have an astute coaching staff beside manager Phil Parkinson. But who features in the backroom team at the Racecourse Ground?
Manager: Phil Parkinson
The Red Dragons appointed Parkinson as the latest manager of Wrexham AFC in July 2021 to replace Dean Keates. Wrexham AFC owners, Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, chose the English coach as the first selection of their tenure as the Hollywood duo eyed promotion.
Parkinson took over at the Racecourse Ground on an initial 12-month rolling contract as he returned to management. The experienced tactician had been out of work since he was fired by Sunderland in November 2020. But Parkinson would seal McElhenney and Reynolds’ goal.
Wrexham AFC finished second to Stockport County for the 2021/22 National League title in Parkinson’s first season as their manager. The Red Dragons then lost 5-4 after extra time to Grimsby Town in the play-offs. But Wrexham AFC would rally to win the division in 2022/23.
Wrexham AFC coaching staff
Assistant manager: Steve Parkin
Parkinson added Steve Parkin to Wrexham AFC’s coaching staff after becoming the manager at the Racecourse Ground in July 2021. The pair have now worked together since September 2011 having first joined forces shortly after Parkinson became the manager of Bradford City.
Parkin had previously enjoyed a career of his own as a manager at Mansfield Town, Rochdale AFC, Barnsley and Rochdale AFC again from 1996 to 2006. But he has served as Parkinson’s right-hand man with Bradford City, Bolton Wanderers, Sunderland and, today, Wrexham AFC.
First-team coach: David Jones
David Jones first joined the Red Dragons in August 2021 in a joint role in the Wrexham AFC first-team squad and Parkinson’s coaching staff. The former midfielder once of Manchester United moved to the Racecourse Ground as his career wound down and he retired in 2022.
Wrexham AFC retained Jones’ services as a first-team coach following his retirement to join Parkinson’s coaching staff permanently. While his arrival in North Wales in 2021 also marked a homecoming. Jones played in Wrexham AFC’s academy before joining Manchester United.
Goalkeeping coach: Aidan Davison
Parkinson improved Wrexham AFC’s coaching staff in June 2022 by naming Aidan Davison as their new goalkeeping coach. The Northern Irishman, who holds a UEFA A licence, left his role as the manager of Laredo Heat after three years to join the Red Dragons’ coaching staff.
Davison’s relationship with Parkinson pre-dates Wrexham AFC having also been his assistant manager at Colchester United from 2004 to 2006. While Davison went on to be the manager of Hull City U21s, FC Jax Destroyers, FC Arizona and Sporting AZ before joining Laredo Heat.
Head of performance medicine and sports science: Kevin Mulholland
Kevin Mulholland joined Wrexham AFC’s coaching staff in August 2021 as their new head of performance medicine and sports science. He had spent the previous 12 years working with the Football Association of Ireland. Mulholland was also at Southampton from 2016 to 2021.
Stoke City gave Mulholland his first job in football in 2010 after working as a physiotherapist at Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust. He later had a spell with Sheffield Wednesday from 2014 to 2016 before joining the Saints and the FAI, often in a physiotherapist position.
First-team sports scientist: Owen Jackson
Wrexham AFC hired Owen Jackson as a first-team sports scientist in March 2021. It marked a return to football for the Welshman after 17 months with St Helens RFC. He worked as their head injury analyst for 16 of those months aiming to identify potentially concussive impacts.
Jackson previously worked in football at Stockport County, Altrincham, Chorley and Salford City. He acted as an assistant strength and conditioning coach, an assistant sports scientist, an academy strength and conditioning coach and a U18s strength and conditioning coach.
First-team physiotherapist: Catherine Beattie
Catherin Beattie left Bolton Wanderers after 10 years to join the coaching staff at Wrexham AFC in June 2023. She moved to the Racecourse Ground as a first-team physiotherapist, the role she held at Bolton. Beattie worked her way up at Wanderers after joining as an analyst.
First-team strength and conditioning coach: Richard Hill
Parkinson improved Wrexham AFC’s coaching staff in February 2022 by hiring Richard Hill as a first-team strength and conditioning coach. The Englishman left a job as a sports scientist with Ipswich Town to join the Red Dragons. Ipswich was his first full-time coaching position.
Hill also has a bachelor’s degree in sports and exercise science from Coventry University. He then also progressed to get a Master of Science in strength and conditioning from St Mary’s University in Twickenham before internships with Southampton and Coventry United Ladies.
First-team physiotherapist: Jonny Griffiths
Wrexham AFC added to their coaching staff during February 2022 by hiring Jonny Griffiths as a first-team physiotherapist. He worked at Preston North End for the previous four years as an academy physiotherapist and as their head of academy medicine and sports science.
Performance analyst: Kyle Crutchley
Kyle Crutchley entered Wrexham AFC’s coaching staff in February 2019 as a performance analyst for their first-team. The Englishman secured his first job in football in May 2017 with West Bromwich Albion as an academy sports science assistant which lasted seven months.
Wolverhampton Wanderers offered Crutchley further experiences over 2017 and 2018 as a first-team sports science nutritionist and performance analysis intern. He later joined Stoke City as an academy match analyst intern in 2018 before landing a full-time job at Wrexham.
Performance analyst: George Parkinson
Wrexham AFC hired George Parkinson as a performance analyst in September 2021 for his first position in football. He had spent the previous 18 months working as a claims assessor at an insurance company. He has also acted as a sales ledger officer overseeing care homes.