Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson discussed losing his job for ‘the first time’ back in 2022.
After parting ways with Dean Keates in 2021, Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac decided to appoint Phil Parkinson as their manager.
West Brom were interested in Parkinson at the time, but as Humphrey Ker previously pointed out, the Dragons were able to flex their ‘financial clout’ to secure his services.
Since then, the former Bradford City boss has guided the Welsh powerhouse to three promotions in four seasons.
Their start to the 2025/26 campaign has been tough, though, and there have already been some pundits questioning Parkinson’s future at Wrexham.
Phil Parkinson opened up on losing his job for the first time during Welcome to Wrexham
During his first season at the Racecourse, Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds discussed sacking Parkinson in an episode of Welcome to Wrexham titled ‘Sack the Gaffer’.
It came after the Dragons endured a difficult start to the 2021/22 season.
Reynolds said: “First off it was a coup that we even got him. You let him go seven months later, I think it’s just a bad look. I think you can’t do business like that, you can’t work with people like that.”
Mac added: “I don’t mind giving him time, the problem is he’s asking for a significant amount of money for the January transfer window.
“The decision we have to make is whether or not, not only do we keep him, ok that’s one thing, give him a full season, fine. But we’re essentially doubling down not only for this season but next season because the players we sign, it’ll be two to three-year contracts.”
In the same episode, which aired in 2022, Parkinson opened up on the first time he lost his job as a manager.
He said: “The first time I lost my job was when I was at Hull City, and I felt as if the world had come to an end. You feel you’re on this linear pathway to be successful and it gives you a jolt.
Parkinson continued: “And you’ve got to learn from those knockbacks, and I learned as well not to be too resentful and look back ‘oh this, if this happened or could I have done this’, because you can drive yourself crazy if you do that. So I think you’ve got to learn from it, take lessons and move on quickly and don’t look back too much.”
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Wrexham stance on Phil Parkinson this season
Despite the difficult start to life in the Championship, Wrexham are not expected to sack Parkinson anytime soon.
Our transfer expert, Graeme Bailey, told us this week: “Phil Parkinson is a Wrexham legend, when he leaves the Racecourse he will be due a statue, no doubt about it. But the Parkinson era is not finished yet – am told the club as a whole are frustrated. Parkinson knows the pressure is on.
“Parkinson has turned the Wrexham job into one that would be the most desirable outside the Premier League, he has created the pressure himself and I am told he is embracing it. Wrexham as a club are fully behind him, they are focused on staying in the Championship this season – let’s get it right that was always their target this year.
“As it stands there is no talk about replacing Parkinson, if they continue to struggle then this might be a different conversation come Christmas but they have had a big turnover of players and are happy with the path they are on.”