When we lost 5-4 to Grimsby in the 2022 National League play-off semi-final, it really hurt. I experienced every emotion possible that day, and I’ve never watched the game back. Straight away after that match, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney came up to me on the pitch. They said, “Phil, this is going to make our resolve stronger, we’re going to build the squad even stronger and have another go next season.” Their support was amazing – it made me so determined. That play-off defeat almost added to our story.
In the summer of 2021, I was on holiday in Cornwall when Les Reed, Wrexham’s football strategy advisor, touched base with me about the manager’s job at the club.
My previous two jobs had been in the Championship and League One, at Bolton Wanderers and Sunderland, and there’s always an element of risk if you go to the National League and you’re not successful. Going forward after that, it can make things difficult for you.
There was a similar situation when I became manager of Bradford City in 2011. When I took over at Valley Parade, Bradford were down towards the bottom of League Two – I’d had quite a few offers to go back into management at a higher level than that, but I fancied the Bradford job because I thought if I could get the club going again, it could be really good. We managed to reach the League Cup final as a League Two team, got promoted, then made the play-offs in League One, too.
I had similar thoughts about Wrexham. I looked at it, spoke to the owners, weighed everything up and thought, ‘Wow, what a story that could be’. Being in football is about creating memories.
That initial chat I had with the owners was very good. We spoke
