PHIL PARKINSON celebrated his first success as a manger with Colchester United but it's all about Wrexham taking another step towards automatic promotion when he returns to his former club tomorrow.

Parkinson took his first steps in management with the U's in 2003 and he led the Essex outfit to a second placed finish in League One is 2005-06, going straight up to the Championship.

Wrexham, who sit third in League Two, are challenging for a second successive promotion under the 56-year-old and with just five games remaining, he knows the Reds need to beat relegation-threatened Colchester at The JobServe Community Stadium tomorrow to stay on course for a top-three finish.

"Colchester was my first managerial job and I have great memories there," said Parkinson, who celebrated a fourth promotion as manager when he led Wrexham to the National League title following a record-breaking 2022-23 campaign.

"I went there and had a terrific time; rebuilt the club, brought in some really good players and got the club into the Championship.
"Our goalkeeper coach, Aidan Davison, was our goalkeeper and coach down there as well so I have got a lot of fond memories, and I am looking forward to going down there and seeing a lot of great people.

"Colchester are down there scrapping for their lives but we've worked hard to get in this position this season, we really have, and it is up to us to go and make it count."

Fit-again midfielder George Evans knows Wrexham, beaten 1-0 by Doncaster Rovers on Tuesday, cannot take second bottom Colchester lightly.

But with competition fierce in the race for automatic promotion, Evans knows the Reds need to leave with three points.

"It will be a tough game again," he added.

"There are no easy games in this league so we have got to go there with the right mentality, see what we could have done better on Tuesday and I am sure we will be better.

"We will go to Colchester and try and win the game, there's no doubt about that, and fingers crossed we get the three points."