Revealed: What ‘The Boss’ at Wrexham makes of stunning mural at The Turf as Phil Parkinson discusses ‘special’ journey alongside Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney

When Parkinson arrived at SToK Racecourse in the summer of 2021, he could never have imagined how things would play out from there. He has become the man that returned the Red Dragons to the Football League after a 15-year absence, while seeing his stock – alongside that of the club – soar as a result of the award-winning ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary series.

Parkinson has won 96 of his 157 games in charge of the Welsh outfit, endearing him to a loyal fan base, and is now immortalised on the gates of The Turf pub that sits next to Wrexham’s famous ground. Local artist Liam Stokes-Massey delivered a nod to his achievements in the dugout, which the Red Dragons boss described to The Athletic as "humbling".

Parkinson has added to The Athletic on buying into a unique project in North Wales: “I feel how special this is. The plan was always for me to move over. The kids are grown up, so that makes things easier. I’m a big believer in living locally because managing is a fully committed job. Being close to the ground is great for cutting down on any travel but it also gives you an insight into a place you wouldn’t get if you were just commuting. It made me understand just how passionate these fans are about their club — and not just now because of the documentary and the profile it brings. I’m talking about people who have followed this club for years and years; home and away, season after season in the National League. For a club like Wrexham to be down there for 15 years is something I’m sure people will look back at in the future and think, ‘How did that happen?’.”

Having clambered back into the EFL, Parkinson is now taking aim at another promotion. Wrexham are riding high in League Two, despite wobbling slightly of late, and have eight games left in which to try and wrap up a top-three finish.