Phil Parkinson says it was a “humbling” experience to be awarded the Freedom of Wrexham this week.
Parkinson swapped his customary casual look on the touchline for a suit as Wrexham councillors bestowed the honour on the Red Dragons boss, who has guided the club into the Sky Bet Championship after three successive promotions.
Wrexham co-owners Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds were awarded the city’s highest civic honour by the council in April 2023.
“It’s a great honour and it is very humbling to be given the award,” boss Parkinson said ahead of Saturday’s home league game against Derby.
“I really enjoyed going down to the Guildhall and being in the meeting with all the councillors, because sometimes as a manager you’re in a a bubble and you don’t get a chance to reflect.
“But listening to people speak about the impact of the club on the area since Rob and Ryan have been here, and their memories over the last four years, was fantastic.
“I spoke to a lot of people outside my normal realm that I speak to day to day in the club and where I live.
“It just really hit home to me – the impact on the club’s success, on the the city itself, and the surrounding area.
“We’ve always stressed, and it comes from the top with the owners, that as much as Wrexham has got the global appeal the most important thing is the local businesses and the local people who support the club and have been through tough times.”
Wrexham have displayed signs of getting to grips with the Championship and the extra quality on show by recording successive away victories at Millwall and Norwich.
But the Welsh club are still waiting for a league win at the SToK Cae Ras after losing to West Brom and QPR and drawing against struggling Sheffield Wednesday.
“I think at times we’ve played in a desperate way where we’ve chased the game,” Parkinson said of Wrexham’s home performances.
“We’ve spoken to the lads about the structure against Norwich and in the second half against Reading (during a 2-0 Carabao Cup win on Tuesday).
“We’ve got to bring that away from home kind of tightness, compactness and structure as a team and let the game come to us almost.
“It’s an absolute desire to give our home fans what they’re used to, which is victories, but we’ve got to have a clear understanding of how we’re going to go about that.”
Crowd abuse a factor in my parents skipping Ryder Cup – Matt Fitzpatrick
Carabao Cup draw LIVE: Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea learn fourth-round opponents
Newcastle drawn against Tottenham in Carabao Cup fourth round
Cardiff claim Burnley scalp to advance to EFL Cup fourth round
Tottenham ‘not for sale’ as owners ‘unequivocally reject’ expression of interest
Man City boss Pep Guardiola: Kyle Walker is one of the greatest full-backs ever
