Parkinson may not get the chance to complete that journey, with Football League veteran Sam Parkin – who spent plenty of time in the lower leagues during his playing days – telling the What the EFL! podcast: “I’m not for one minute suggesting that they get rid of Phil Parkinson now. But there will come a time won’t there, and whether that is when they make it to the Championship. I think he seems like a really good guy; I’ve got numerous friends who have played with him and played for him and he was absolutely the right appointment for these few seasons, as they tried to rise out of the National League and get into League One and beyond. But there will come a time when they try to play a bit more football, I’m sure. That will be the natural progression, so yeah, the squad will need to be improved, a younger average age and we may see that slight adaptation next season.”