We all know Phil Parkinson the manager. The hero of Wrexham. But we never really talk about Phil Parkinson the former player.
Phil Parkinson has just steered Wrexham to a third-straight promotion, beating one of his former clubs Charlton Athletic 3-0 at the Racecourse to seal promotion to the Championship ahead of the 2025/25 campaign.
It’s a seventh career promotion as a manager for Parkinson. There’s talks of Wrexham building Parkinson a statue in the years to come and it’d be a fitting tribute to the man who has played a huge part in putting the club on the global map.
And it’d be a fitting tribute to what’s been a long managerial career so far for Parkinson. He’s certainly had his ups and downs in the game but right now he’s on the up with Wrexham, enjoying the best spell of his managerial career to date.
But it wasn’t all that long away that Parkinson was a player himself.
Shaka Hislop says Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson was an animal on the pitch
Parkinson hung up his boots in 2003. He enjoyed a 15 year playing career starting out as a youngster at Southampton but making his name with Bury during a five year spell, and then with Reading in an 11 year spell where he made more than 350 total appearances, with more than 500 career appearances.
A central midfielder, Parkinson was twice named Reading’s Player of the Season. And speaking in the wake of Wrexham’s promotion, Parkinson’s former teammate, goalkeeper Shaka Hislop, spoke about his memories of Parkinson the player.
Hislop revealed: “I know Phil Parkinson well. Parky and I signed for Reading at the same time. Great guy, Great guy… I don’t think I’ve played with anybody who’s more different on the field and off it, that’s Parky. Nicest man you’ve ever seen off the field. On the field he turns into something totally different!”
Phil Parkinson’s record with Wrexham vs his other clubs
Whilst a legendary player among Reading fans in particular, it’s certainly with Wrexham where Parkinson has made his mark. He’s done an incredible job and it looks as though the journey has only just started – Parkinson could yet manage Wrexham in the Premier League.
The club is on the right track to secure Premier League promotion in the near future and Parkinson could yet manage for the first time in the English top flight.
| Club | Parkinson’s win % |
| Colchester U | 42.25 |
| Hull City | 20.83 |
| Charlton Athletic | 38.60 |
| Bradford City | 36.86 |
| Bolton | 31.21 |
| Sunderland | 39.58 |
| Wrexham | 61.36 |
He’s enjoyed a fabulous career in football as a player and manager and what the future might hold for him is anyone’s guess, but it seems a bright future nonetheless.