What Phil Parkinson and Wrexham sporting director Steve Nickson did just two days after the Red Dragons suffered a crushing 6-0 Championship defeat at West Ham United, CEO Michael Williamson has revealed.
The defeat at the London Stadium on September 11 was the heaviest of Parkinson’s time in charge and left the club needing to find a response after a bruising night in the capital.
Instead of panicking, Wrexham’s senior figures chose to back the manager. Williamson has now shed light on what went on behind the scenes in the days that followed.
Steve Nickson and Phil Parkinson went for a pint after West Ham defeat
Speaking to The Athletic, Williamson revealed that Nickson met Parkinson away from the training ground on the Sunday after the defeat.
“There’s also the advantage of having Steve Nickson around. Him and Phil went out for a pint together on the Sunday. Just to get it all out, two football people having that camaraderie.
“Having a moment to put that 6-0 defeat in the past and transition into a week leading up to the next match.”
Nickson’s arrival as Wrexham’s first sporting director has added another experienced football figure to the senior structure around Parkinson. His remit includes working closely with the manager and coaching staff on recruitment and longer-term squad planning.
Williamson also made a point of visiting the training ground himself on the Tuesday following the West Ham game.
“I have a great relationship with Phil. I was at the training facility on the Tuesday, just to have a chat and show presence and support.”
It paints a clear picture of Wrexham’s response to a result that Williamson admitted had left him feeling “numb”. There was disappointment, but the immediate focus internally was on supporting Parkinson and moving towards the Southampton fixture.
Wrexham response justified Williamson’s faith in Parkinson
Parkinson publicly accepted responsibility after the West Ham defeat and acknowledged that Wrexham had lost their way once the game began to unravel.
Eight days later, his players produced the response Williamson had been expecting. Wrexham beat Southampton 2-1 at the Racecourse Ground, with Kieffer Moore opening the scoring before an 89th-minute Keven Schlotterbeck own goal secured the points.
For Williamson, the performance demonstrated why there had been confidence in Parkinson despite the severity of the West Ham result.
“Parky is always able to get the right response out of the squad. And I expected that. We saw it on the pitch, which was fantastic.
“But, obviously, getting the winner in the 89th minute was brilliant. That’s when you feel the magic is still there. Such a Wrexham ending.”
One heavy defeat was never going to dictate Wrexham’s direction. The reaction behind the scenes, from Nickson’s informal conversation with Parkinson to Williamson making his support visible at training, showed how the club’s senior figures chose to handle their most difficult night of the season.
About The Author
