Ryan Reynolds left in no doubt over Wrexham's 'elite' trump card despite pressure claim

Wrexham's choice to back Phil Parkinson is reaping rewards after their boss was lauded for "overachieving". The ex-Bolton manager faced criticism at the beginning of the current campaign following the Red Dragons' shaky start to Championship life.

Claims surfaced in September that talks had taken place regarding Parkinson's position after Wrexham, owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, suffered defeat in three of their opening five league matches. The rumours were swiftly rubbished and branded as "an absolute" disgrace by Wrexham's non-executive director Shaun Harvey.

The club's fortunes have transformed remarkably since, going on an eight-game undefeated streak that has lifted them to tenth in the Championship table, only three points adrift of the play-offs. Parkinson received substantial support in the summer window after Wrexham splashed out approximately £33million on transfers.

However, former Wales striker Sam Vokes reckons the 58-year-old deserves more recognition for his accomplishments following three successive promotions.

Speaking on the BBC's Feast of Football podcast, he said: "The job he's done there has been elite. He's always had the pressure on him as well, because that expectation has just been there for Wrexham over the last few years.

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"Three promotions on the bounce, to get that club to where they are right now, on the brink of the play-offs in the Championship, is a fantastic job. They've got a lot of backing behind them and we see that financially.

"But you still need the right manager and the right person in there to deliver that, because that expectation is not easy sometimes. For that size of club to still be well and truly up there and, overachieving I'd say, from where they've been in the last few years, it's a great job he's been doing."

Parkinson has recently hit the milestone of overseeing 200 league matches at the helm of Wrexham and can boast a remarkable success rate of almost 60 per cent. Former Wales striker Iwan Roberts was equally glowing in his praise for the work accomplished at the Racecourse Ground since his appointment in July 2021.

He said: "I'd love to play under a manager like that. What I like about him is that he hasn't changed. I think he knows what he's good at. I think he's a really good motivator and a good man manager. He's got a good team around him and they've been with him forever.

"I think that's so important, that you get good people around you that you trust and that you want to go on the journey with. If you ask Wrexham fans now if they have enjoyed the last four or five years, what do you think they're going to say?

"Okay, at times the football isn't the kindest on the eye, but they don't care. They're scoring goals, they're winning games and they're three points off the top six in the Championship. What a fantastic few seasons it's been for Wrexham and for Phil Parkinson. He deserves all the credit that he's getting."

Wrexham managed to secure a 1-1 draw against Blackburn last weekend, thanks to a last-minute goal from defender Max Cleworth. The Red Dragons are set to face Preston on Saturday and are hoping to maintain their impressive run of form.