Phil Parkinson hit a new milestone with the home win as Wrexham managers side beat Preston North End 4-1 at the Racecourse Ground. The result was a much-needed lift after a difficult week and another milestone in a reign that has transformed the club.
Just four days earlier, Wrexham had lost 2-1 to West Bromwich Albion at home, with boos greeting the final whistle. The Preston result was a reminder that Parkinson’s five years in charge are best judged over more than one uncomfortable evening.
With that win against PNE, Phil Parkinson reaches 100 home victories for Wrexham. It was not a perfect performance, nor does one victory settle every question about the current campaign. Yet the landmark offers a chance to consider what the Racecourse has witnessed since his appointment in 2021.
Three promotions and three unforgettable afternoons
Among those 100 home wins are the matches that sealed each of Wrexham’s three successive promotions. The first arrived on 22 April 2023, when a 3-1 victory against Boreham Wood clinched the National League title and ended the club’s 15-year absence from the Football League.
Less than a year later, Forest Green Rovers were beaten 6-0 at the Racecourse on 13 April 2024 as Wrexham secured promotion from League Two. That was followed by a 3-0 win over Charlton Athletic on 26 April 2025, confirming a place in the Championship.
Three different divisions, three decisive home matches and one manager on the touchline. The celebrations were different each time, but the Racecourse was the setting for all three turning points.
Those occasions help explain why the latest milestone carries more weight than an ordinary century of victories. Parkinson has overseen a period in which promotion has gone from a long-awaited ambition to something the club achieved in three consecutive seasons.
The record behind the milestone
At the time of the Preston win, Parkinson’s Wrexham record stood at 160 victories, 69 draws and 56 defeats from 285 matches, a win rate of just over 56 per cent. The figures, recorded in the club’s managerial archive, underline the consistency behind the rise.
The next step was hardly straightforward. Wrexham’s first Championship campaign ended in seventh place in 2025-26, just outside the play-offs, representing their highest league finish.
Success has not removed scrutiny, particularly after the recent West Brom defeat. Parkinson changed his selection for Preston, pairing Sam Smith with Kieffer Moore in attack, and both forwards scored as Wrexham returned to winning ways.
As analysis of the Preston changes explored, the two-striker approach gave Parkinson another option to consider. The win offered encouragement without proving that every issue had been resolved.
A relationship built at the Racecourse
The supporters’ backing was unmistakable against Preston, despite the frustration heard earlier in the week. Parkinson recognised that relationship in his post-match comments, saying: “The supporters have been outstanding for me” before extending that gratitude to his family and reflecting on his time at the club.
He also acknowledged the criticism that comes with managing Wrexham’s growing profile, explaining the need to block out outside noise. It is part of the job, particularly at a club whose ambitions have risen alongside its league position.
The Championship will keep testing Parkinson and his players. Whatever comes next, 100 home victories, including three promotion-clinching afternoons, form a substantial chapter of Wrexham’s modern history.
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