Wrexham are preparing for their FA Cup tie against Chelsea, with their manager having a history of causing upsets in the competition.
Parkinson’s Previous FA Cup Successes
Phil Parkinson has a back catalogue of upsets. He was the most recent manager of a side from a lower division to knock out Chelsea. Parkinson has lost just 13 of his 136 home games since becoming Wrexham manager in July 2021.
In 2015, Parkinson managed Bradford City to a 4-2 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea were top of the Premier League at the time. The Bradford team beat a Chelsea side that included Drogba, Hazard and Fabregas.
“I can remember at the start of the second half looking at Mourinho,” said Parkinson. “You could almost see it in his eyes, thinking ‘wow’ because his team had switched off and he couldn’t get them going again.”
With Bradford 3-2 up and three minutes to go, Mourinho reached over to shake Parkinson’s hand before the final whistle. Parkinson ignored it and watched as his side scored a fourth. They would be the only team to beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge that season.
Parkinson reached the quarter-finals of the 2014-2015 FA Cup with Bradford after beating Premier League leaders Chelsea 4-2 in the fourth round.
Lessons Learned and Underdog Spirit
“I was actually thinking about the game this week, how we led into it, the build-up and preparations,” said Parkinson, who also revealed he has been exchanging messages with one of the Bantams’ goalscorers that day, Jon Stead.
“I don’t think I’ve changed much as a manager since then. We like the team to play with the same principles and reflect what the team is about as an area, which is similar here to Bradford.
“There was no expectancy on us at all and the underdog fighting spirit has got to be there because of the talent of the team we’re up against.”
Chelsea’s FA Cup Record Since 2015
In the 11 years since, Chelsea have played 24 FA Cup opponents from below the Premier League without suffering the same embarrassment.
Mourinho labelled the 2015 defeat to Bradford a disgrace, but also went into the Bradford changing room to acknowledge the significance of the scoreline and pay tribute to Parkinson. He recalled the “surreal” feeling of being applauded off by the Chelsea fans.
Wrexham’s Cup Run Ambitions
Parkinson knows what a cup run can mean. Wrexham beat Championship Coventry in 2023. Nottingham Forest were beaten on penalties in this year’s third round.
- FA Cup shocks are woven into Wrexham’s history.
- Parkinson also reached the quarter-finals of the 2014-2015 FA Cup with Bradford.
- Wrexham are aiming to end a 15-year exile in non-league.
While his time at Wrexham has seen him break promotion records as part of the north Wales club’s Hollywood rise, with their position in the Championship play-offs suggesting a fourth is a possibility.