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Phil Parkinson speaks for first time on becoming Chester’s new manager

Phil Parkinson speaks for the first time on becoming Chester’s new permanent manager now that the 2025/26 season has come to an end.

The 45 year old comes in having last managed Altrincham, winning promotion to the National League in 2019/20 during an eight-year spell.

Also joining him at Chester is his assistant Neil Sorvel. Calum McIntyre left his role as first team manager by mutual consent after a 2–1 home win against Spennymoor Town.

First team coach and player Connell Rawlinson took the job on a interim basis and guided them to 7th, losing in the playoff eliminator to Macclesfield.

CLUB STATEMENT:

Chester Football Club are delighted to confirm the appointment of Phil Parkinson as the club’s new First Team Manager!

The 45-year-old joins the Blues on a two-year-deal alongside long-term Assistant Manager Neil Sorvel, who worked with Parkinson at both Nantwich Town and Altrincham.

His managerial career began with Nantwich Town in February 2015. Parkinson led the Dabbers from being relegation-threatened to promotion-challengers in the NPL Premier Division, whilst also reaching the FA Trophy semi-finals in 2016.

Our new man made the switch to Altrincham in the summer of 2017 following the club’s relegation to the seventh tier. He picked up the NPL Premier Division title at the first attempt, earning a total of 95 points, before two successive fifth-placed National League North finishes culminated in play-off success in 2020.

The Robins then consolidated in the National League with three successive mid-table berths, before a stunning fourth-placed finish in the 2023/24 campaign, the club’s highest league position since 1995.

He departed Altrincham in October 2025 and was appointed Interim Manager of Fleetwood Town’s U21 side in February, continuing to enhance his skills of developing young talent.

After the appointment was confirmed, CFU Chair Nick Phillipson said: “Today we open a new and exciting chapter in the recent history of Chester FC with the appointment of Phil Parkinson as First Team Manager, with Neil Sorvel as his Assistant.

“Phil was our preferred choice from the start. He brings a wealth of experience from his time resurrecting and consolidating Altrincham back into the National League. He developed their Academy and produced a pathway for players to further their careers and brought both value and financial benefits to their club. This aligns with our values and thinking as a fan-owned club.

“The Board are confident that Phil will be able to bring us the success we all want: promotion back to the National League.

“We are in this together. All of us will have an important role this season in supporting Phil and the club to achieve this upward progress.

“Welcome, Phil and Neil – we all look forward to working with you.”

After his move to Chester FC was sealed, Phil said: “I’m delighted to be here. It feels like the perfect fit for me right now.”

“It’s an exciting prospect. Supporters can expect a real modern-day approach to football. We have a set way of going about things, an identity that we won’t deviate from.”

“We’re going to have to bring our A-game, and if we do, which we will, we’ll get this right and give everybody something to be really excited about come the summer.”

Welcome to Chester FC, Phil and Neil!

“Following the conclusion of the 2025/26 campaign, the Board of Directors has issued the following message.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank you, our supporters, for the loyalty, passion, and faith you have shown this season.

“This is not the ending we hoped for. It hurts to have fallen short in the play-offs again, and the emotions of Wednesday’s defeat will still be raw, but there’s many reasons to be proud too.

“We are proud of our players, who produced an extraordinary run of form over the final quarter of the season, proud of our coaching staff for their leadership and professionalism, and proud of you for your outstanding, unwavering support.

“This has been a difficult season for us all, without question. We acknowledge that results and league position were below the level expected at our football club for much of this campaign, but this was not through lack of effort, support, or intent.

“Responsibility comes with being elected to serve on the board, and we will never shy from that. We have, and will continue to reflect, on our actions, but want to reassure you that we plan and consider every decision through the lens of what’s best for the club, both now and in the future.

“We are clear that our aim, and your aim, is promotion, and to become a club that can compete at National League level. This club is growing off the pitch, with record season ticket sales and a new generation of fans being developed, and three play-off finishes in four seasons shows our progress on the pitch too. We are ready.

“Success in football cannot be guaranteed, and the National League North is more competitive than ever, but we have confidence that, if we stick together and embrace what our football club is about, we will achieve our goal.

“Looking forwards, we will be entering a new and exciting era as a football club imminently. We appreciate your patience and understanding, and firmly believe this announcement, and the plans we have for next season, will ensure that we can approach 2026/27 with optimism and belief.

“We want to end this message by thanking the players for their hard work and effort across the season. The character, resilience, and unity they have demonstrated to turn things around epitomised what our club is about, and the mutual appreciation between the squad and supporters at full-time on Wednesday was a special moment.

“Thank you to our interim management team of Connell Rawlinson, Colin Woodthorpe, and Neil Ebbrell for their diligence and commitment in difficult circumstances. We wish to thank Calum McIntyre and Luke Davies for their respective contributions to the club over a number of years, and wish them well for the future.

“Finally, thank you. Football clubs are their supporters, but that is truer at Chester than anywhere else. You are what makes this club unique, and we are more determined than ever to deliver the success you deserve.

“The Board of Directors”

Here’s the social media reaction as Phil Parkinson speaks for first time on becoming Chester’s new manager…

@adamluke22: Is this the first time ever that two rivals have had a manager with the same name?

@kieran1884: Wrexham replies are very strange to this. #trfc #wrexham

@MorganOwen02: Just copying us at this point lads. You’re still gonna be absolute dross 😂😂

@Rio_Doherty: Couldn’t have asked for a better appointment. Has been promoted from this league, built strong sides in the National League, lives locally, has the contacts, and has a great eye for players in the lower leagues, so it’s the perfect fit. Can’t wait for the ride. Welcome Parky 🙌!

@Indietective72: These goats are weirdly obsessed, fair play. I’ve never once even considered looking at Wrexham’s twitter page, but they can’t stay off here. Bizarre.

@Matt_At9_: Excellent appointment, just exactly what the Club needs. UTFS 🦭

@craigyjones17: You couldn’t make it up 😂😂

@JoshM1871: Now announce Benidorm pre season tour

@JordanBirchall: “We’ve got Temu Phil Parky” 👏🏻 🎵

@StopUsingWxM: Hahahahahha Temu Phil Parkinson

@seasideblade: My god! This is some shock. Ryan Reynolds hasn’t taken missing out on the play offs well. At least he was only out of work for 3 hours 27 minutes.

@crooksy1978: Amazing! A proper football man and an insightful coach. Also a very good communicator and people person. I’m hugely excited to see him take the reigns

@ZaaanderSmith: Thats a cracking appointment for Chester that. A bit of a coup for National League North.

@StandingAlone77: Fascinating appointment. They’re a big club at the NLN level, but have been unable to get over the hump in recent years. If he can get them up, then I think it cements him as a truly decent lower league manager who deserves a crack at the EFL at some point in the future.

@WrexhamAFC_ES: Since they can’t outdo us, they’ve literally decided to try cloning us. They’ve just ordered their own white-label Phil Parkinson from AliExpress to see if they can catch a bit of our success. What’ll be next? Signing some guy named “Pablo Mulino”?

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