Parkinson cites Wrexham journey amid 'outside talk'

Phil Parkinson feels the football world has been quick to forget where Wrexham have come from as the manager responded to speculation surrounding his future by guiding the Red Dragons to victory at Norwich City.

A report claimed the club's hierarchy were holding talks over the 57-year-old's position with the Welsh side, although those suggestions were swiftly shut down by the manager and Wrexham's non-executive director Shaun Harvey.

And after the Red Dragons secured a second Championship win of the season with an impressive comeback against the Canaries, Parkinson was eager to remind people of the journey the club has been on during his tenure as boss.

"My message to everybody in football is that four years ago we came to East Anglia - it was King's Lynn away in front of 800 people," he said.

"Today we've turned up at Carrow Road in front of 26,000 against a really good team with a top manager and come away with a victory.

"That's how far we've come so quickly and people sometimes forget that."

Harvey labelled the speculation surrounding Parkinson's position at the Stok Cae Ras [Racecourse ground] "an absolute disgrace", adding the manager has the full support of everybody at the north Wales club.

Parkinson says his longevity in the game has ensured he has been able to swat aside the outside noise surrounding his position.

"First of all, I don't listen to any outside talk," he said.

"I don't know where that [speculation] came from but I've had nothing but unbelievable support from everybody.

"It's not just about me. We've had periods in all my time at Wrexham where people have doubted us and we've got stronger as a group - not just the players, the staff and the owners, and we've come through the other side of it.

"This is a good result. We've got work to do, we know that.

"But I've managed over 1,000 games so if people really think I listen to what people say on social media, then I don't think I'd be stood here because if you do get involved in that, it's very difficult to continue to be a manager.

"So I block everything out, concentrate on the people that I trust and the people that have given me great support at the football club - and this is a good day for us."

Deadline day signings Ben Sheaf, Issa Kabore and Dom Hyam were all handed their first starts for Wrexham at Norwich.

Jack Stacey gave the hosts the lead but Josh Windass - on his return from injury - netted either side of Ryan Longman's strike as the visitors turned the game on its head.

Jovon Makama gave the Canaries faint hope in added time, although Wrexham held on to claim a crucial three points to rise to 15th in the Championship.

And Parkinson was pleased to have far more options at his disposal in the win over Liam Manning's outfit.

"We've brought players in but we haven't had enough of them on the pitch yet," he said. "We're still working towards that. Can people not see from afar what we're trying to achieve?

"I've just got to concentrate on what we've got to do."