Chester has officially announced Phil Parkinson as their new head coach, and rest assured, they haven’t lured away the manager of their cross-border rivals, Wrexham!
Parkinson brings a wealth of experience, having managed Altrincham for nine years before taking on a role as interim manager for Fleetwood Town’s under-21s.
The 45-year-old has joined Chester on a two-year contract following the club’s seventh-place finish in the National League North.
Fans of Chester are hoping that having a coach with the same name as Wrexham’s manager might bode well for their promotion ambitions next season.
Now, you may be wondering: have the two Phil Parkinsons ever met?
Indeed! They have squared off against each other five times during Wrexham’s non-league era.
In those encounters, Wrexham’s Parkinson emerged victorious in all but one, with Altrincham clinching a win in a penalty shootout during the FA Cup fourth round in 2023.
While a derby between the two teams may not be on the horizon anytime soon, it’s certainly a rarity for a rival to hire a coach sharing the same name!
– Ryan Reynolds ‘completely gutted’ as Wrexham miss playoffs
– Wrexham made to wait as Premier League promotion hopes ended
Chester’s Chair, Nick Phillipson, stated on the club’s website that Parkinson was their “preferred choice from the outset.”
“He has a wealth of experience from his time bringing Altrincham back into the National League,” Phillipson noted.
“The Board is confident that Phil will help us achieve our goal of promotion back to the National League.”