Parkinson: Our focus always on promotion
GRIMSBY Town’s play-off semi-final opponents Wrexham will be fully focused on winning promotion back to the Football League, despite the disappointment of Sunday’s FA Trophy final defeat to Bromley, according to manager Phil Parkinson.
The Welsh team lost 1-0 at Wembley following Michael Cheek’s 63rd-minute goal for the Kent outfit.
Around 20,000 supporters cheered on their team at English football’s national stadium but Parkinson has insisted winning that competition was always only regarded as a “bonus” with promotion the true goal this season.
Wrexham finished runners-up of the National League six points behind Stockport, but the Dragons beat the eventual champions 3-0 in their final home match and have won 13 and drawn one of the last 14 games on their own soil.
Owned by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, Wrexham are also keen to climb the football pyramid as quickly as possible, with Parkinson swiftly pointing out, after Sunday’s defeat, what the priority for 2021/22 is and always has been.
“I said to the lads that we have to take this defeat on the chin,” the former Hull and Bradford boss told The Leader in Wrexham.
“Credit to Bromley for winning but, since day one of pre-season, the aim was to get promotion and we can’t let this affect us. No-one wants to come to Wembley and not win a trophy, and we had outstanding support.
“I feel for the supporters going back up the road, and all our family and friends, but equally we have got to get this disappointment out quickly, and get a good week’s training going into the play-off semifinal. It hurts, more because of the support we had but that is the nature of this game.
“You get knocked and you have got to pick yourself up quickly. We have got so much to play for this season, starting on Saturday. From day one there has been a real focus, the FA Trophy was always a bonus for us and we need to be ready and focused and give everything we have got to get into the play-off final.”