'It all goes back to Phil' - Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney explain Wrexham manager Parkinson's importance as Red Dragons secure promotion to Championship - as head coach insists Hollywood owners 'deserve it'

Wrexham beat Charlton on Saturday to confirm their rise into the Championship, and seal a third successive promotion. Wild scenes greeted the full-time whistle as the Welsh club prepare for the second-tier. One more promotion will see them in the Premier League.

Manager Parkinson has been at the helm of the club for their rise, taking over in 2021 and initially guiding them out of the National League. Having signed a 12-month rolling contract, the former Hull and Bradford City boss has become a legend in North Wales, but he is keen to give credit to the owners, while they would rather hail the head coach.

Parkinson said: "I think it's about the collective. The owners have come in and done an amazing job. I'm so pleased for them because they deserve it.

"There's lots of ways you can be supportive as owners. It can be making sure we get a key player when it matters the most. But it can also be support when the results don't go quite as well as you want them to, but still allowing us to do our jobs.

"That's what they've always done. They're invested in all of the decisions, but they trust us in our decision making and that's why we've had success over the last three years."

Reynolds told Sky: “You can look at so many beating hearts at the club but it all goes back to Phil, I mean the leadership in that locker room and we thankfully don’t make football decisions but the faith that the club has in Phil and the community has in him speaks volumes.”

And McElhenney concluded: “In Phil we trust and Ryan and I always find it silly that at the end of the games it’s us standing here with microphones because we’re not the ones out here on the pitch doing the work.”

Wrexham play Lincoln City in their final game of the season on Saturday. A party awaits.