Phil Parkinson has managed more than 1,000 games, so a few headlines do not rattle him. After Wrexham beat Preston North End 4-1 at the Racecourse on Saturday, he said his players simply had to "block everything out". It worked. A side that lost 2-1 at home to West Bromwich Albion in midweek got its season moving again against the Championship's bottom club.
Responding to the noise
Reports had suggested the pressure was building on Parkinson after a slow start. He did not dodge the subject. "When you lose at any level, criticism comes the manager's way and the players' way and you've got to accept that," he told BBC Radio Wales Sport. He added that the criticism of Wrexham is intensified by the profile of the club.
His answer was to rethink the approach. He and assistant Steve Parkin, he said, were itching to get the lads back in on Thursday and bring the group together. They thought long and hard about team selection and the style needed, then put it into practice.
First goals and a convincing finish
Joe Worrall and Ben Whiteman both scored their first goals for the club, helping Wrexham to a 2-1 half-time lead. After the break Sam Smith and Kieffer Moore completed a result that was emphatic from start to finish. It was only Wrexham's second home win of the season. "We showed character, we showed mentality and it's an important win for us," he said.
The injury list behind the slow start
Parkinson pointed to injuries as a major reason for the inconsistent opening. Max Cleworth, Nathan Broadhead and Dan Sheaf are all sidelined, and he called it "unprecedented", probably the worst spell of his time at the club. "We've lost a lot of quality and football ability on the pitch," he said, but he insisted those players will return and add real competition for places.
He was careful not to sound like he was making excuses. Until the injured players are back, he said, the job is to galvanise the squad and find ways to be more effective. "I'm very confident we've got a squad that can be really competitive this season," he said. One result will not settle that argument, but it takes the heat off for now.
Match facts: Wrexham 4-1 Preston North End (Championship, the Racecourse Ground, Saturday 17 October 2026). Wrexham goals: Joe Worrall, Ben Whiteman (both first for the club), Sam Smith, Kieffer Moore. Wrexham led 2-1 at half-time. Their previous match was a 2-1 home defeat by West Bromwich Albion.
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