Wrexham boss' touching pre-match Sheffield Wednesday chat - and takeover frustration
For all the struggle, for all the concerns and for everything it has been through in the last year, Sheffield Wednesday remains a great club with one of the most iconic stadiums in the country.
That’s according to Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson, who knows better than most the battles Henrik Pedersen - his opposite man yesterday - is facing as the man in the dugout at S6. Parkinson’s side were made to work for their 1-0 victory but extended the Owls’ winless run to 23 matches, an unwanted record in Championship terms.
The former Bradford City boss became the latest opposition figure to express deep sympathy for Pedersen, who faces the prospect of losing further players before the deadline shuts from an already beleaguered squad cut adrift at the foot of the division. Wednesday are facing a slow trudge to confirmation of their relegation and face weeks before a verdict is expected on whether James Bord’s consortium is passed to take control of the club.
“I have a lot of sympathy,” Parkinson said. “It’s really, really tough. People are thinking ‘is the takeover going to happen?’ and I’ve been there before at other clubs as well. It always drags on longer than you want it to, it really does. It’s never straight-forward. That can drain you so much as a manager and that’s why I’ve got so much sympathy for Henrik because I’ve stood in those shoes.”
The shoes Parkinson refers to were worn mainly at Bolton Wanderers, when he oversaw a stint in which the club was subject to administration, transfer embargoes, points deductions, player strikes and court orders.
“When I was at Bolton, it was probably worse,” he said. “The players didn’t get paid for five months in that period. Having to manage players and manage staff who weren’t paying bills et cetra. I know what’s it like, but Sheffield Wednesday is a great club and it’s going to come back.
“Coming to the stadium today I said to Steve Parkin (his assistant), I want to enjoy this experience today. This is one of the famous old stadiums in English football. I want to savour being on that touchline because it’s a great place to be.”