PHIL PARKINSON says Mickey Thomas' "iconic" free-kick which helped Wrexham shock the mighty Arsenal 30 years ago is "what the FA Cup is all about".

Thomas scored the equaliser before Steve Watkin struck the winner as Brian Flynn's side, who finished bottom of Division Four the previous season, famously beat the reigning first division champions 2-1 at The Racecourse.

Current Reds boss Parkinson admits Thomas' stunning strike was a special moment.

"It is one of the iconic goals in FA Cup history, up there as one of the great FA Cup goals," said Parkinson, who was playing for Bury during the 1991-92 season when Wrexham shocked the Gunners.

"Everyone remembers it, a great moment and what the FA Cup is all about.

"The fact that so many people remember that Mickey Thomas free-kick says everything.

"As we come up to the FA Cup weekend, I am sure it will be shown on television a few times as it always is."

Parkinson acknowledged how Wrexham caused a big cup upset

"Everybody knows that Arsenal were a very tough team to play against and a hard team to beat, as they still are but in that era in particular," said Parkinson.

"Those shocks come along very rarely but when they do, they are there to be savoured."

The cup has lost some of it's magic in recent years but Parkinson, who led League One Bradford to a 4-2 victory over Premier League giants Chelsea in January 2015, believes top-flight clubs should still hold the competition in high regard.

"The problem with the third round in particular, it comes on the back of what can quite often be a busy Christmas period," added Parkinson.

"A lot of the top Premier League managers go on about the number of games so at this stage it probably goes down the priority list.

"But for me, it should be high on the list for a lot of clubs in the Premier League because to win a trophy or get to the final is something which stays with you forever as a player and a manager, and supporters remember it.

"I imagine there will be a few weakened teams played this weekend but once teams progress through the next couple of rounds, everybody starts thinking 'this could be our year'.

"It is a major trophy in domestic football and the FA Cup is the second biggest to winning the Premier League.

"For the big, big clubs, they try and get through the early rounds with weakened teams but then it gathers a bit of momentum.