Wrexham are challenging for a third straight promotion but this story isn’t just about Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds.
Wrexham aren’t content with two promotions in a row – the aim now is a third.
Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds’s 2021 takeover has seen Wrexham rapidly rise through the leagues but the journey isn’t done yet – not by a long shot.
Wrexham now sit third in League One and have genuine aspirations of automatic promotion to the Championship.
McElhenney and Reynolds attract most of the attention whilst out-of-favour striker Paul Mullin has become a household name in recent times.
Boss Phil Parkinson is the man who has knitted it all together, but his assistant manager plays a key role in the Wrexham machine…
Wrexham assistant Steve Parkin profiled
Steve Parkin is the man beside Parkinson with the pair spending years working together now.
Parkinson called Parkin to join him at Bradford City back in 2011 and the pair have been inseparable ever since.
Parkin followed Parkinson to Bolton Wanderers in 2016, Sunderland in 2019 and then Wrexham in 2021.
Now with almost 15 years of working together, Parkinson and Parkin have been driving Wrexham up through the leagues.
Parkin enjoyed a 16-year playing career with Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion and home town Mansfield Town.
A former England Under-21 international, Parkin combined playing duties with managing at Mansfield, taking charge of almost 150 games with the Stags.
Parkin then spent two years at Rochdale before a spell in charge of Barnsley lasted less than a year.
The 59-year-old returned to Rochdale in 2003 but left in December 2006 – and that was his last managerial job, winning just 29% of his games.
Parkin turned to coaching roles, joining Hull City in 2007 – ironically after Parkinson had been sacked.
After a spell with Scunthorpe United, Parkin joined forces with Parkinson at Bradford – and the rest is history.
The pair know each other so well and Parkin recently praised Sebastian Revan having been given media duties by Parkinson.
Parkinson is a huge fan of Parkin, branding the Wrexham assistant ‘brilliant’ with the pair ‘great mates’ off the pitch.
“Steve and me are great mates,” said Parkinson when speaking to The Athletic in 2024.
“Our families are friends, too. I’m very, very fortunate, as Steve watches my back. A brilliant guy and we work together well.
“Take what you’ve seen on the documentary in the dressing room. We’ve certain messages that have to be got across and there’s only so much time to do that, especially at half-time. You have to work in sync with each other,” he added.
- READ MORE: Phil Parkinson’s latest decision has just raised major question marks about Paul Mullin’s future
Steve Parkin doubled Phil Parkinson’s Wrexham move
Parkinson and Parkin have worked together to take Wrexham towards the top of League One, but their reunion so easily couldn’t have happened.
Speaking to The Athletic in 2023, Parkin admitted that he was unsure about joining Wrexham at first.
Parkin questioned just why Parkinson would be willing to drop into the National League having previously been in charge of Sunderland.
Those doubts were allayed though as Parkinson’s excitement ‘swayed’ Parkin into the move – a decision he certainly doesn’t regret.
“Phil is really good at reading people,” said Parkin. “From the start, he had a good feeling about Wrexham. That swayed me, as my initial reaction had been, ‘Why would a manager of his stature drop to the National League?’
“I didn’t mean that in a disrespectful way. But he does have an excellent CV and other clubs higher up will have been interested. Phil, though, was so positive on the back of his first chat with Rob (McElhenney). They spoke for the best part of 90 minutes.
“He phoned me up and I could feel this real excitement in his voice. Phil was convinced the lads were 100 per cent genuine in trying to make this club and town progress. And I have to say, the owners have held their part of the bargain magnificently. The support we have had has been brilliant,” he added.
Parkinson has been questioned by Wrexham fans after Tuesday’s defeat to Reading, but he will have confidence that he and Parkin can secure another promotion – whether automatically or through the play-offs.