THE memories will come flooding back for Phil Parkinson on Saturday as Wrexham take on Colchester United - the club where his managerial career all started 20 years ago.

Parkinson made history last season by finally leading Wrexham out of non-league football and back into the Football League after a 15-year absence.

Twenty years ago, he was embarking on his first job in management after being handed the manager’s hotseat at Colchester where he lead them to promotion just two years into the job at the Essex club’s old Layer Road ground.

“It’s incredible to think it was 20, 21 years ago,” said Parkinson, whose managerial journey also took him to Hull City, Charlton, Bradford City and Sunderland before heralding the new Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds era at Wrexham two years ago.

“I have so many fantastic memories from my time at Colchester where I learnt so much as a young manager.

“When you get that first job in management - and it was a shock to get it - you want to be successful straight away.

“We won promotion to the Championship in 2006 - the first time Colchester had played in that division. They were great times.”

Alongside Parkinson in those heady days was current Wrexham goalkeeping coach Aidan Davison.

“I knew Aidan well and brought him as player/coach and he was a great mentor for a lot of good young keepers who went on to bigger things,” added Parkinson, who also made the massive decision to uproot his young family from their Reading home to move to Colchester.

“You have to be committed if you want to be successful. The three kids were young and we moved them out of school in Reading to be in the Colchester area. It’s something I had to do.”

That relocation 20 years ago mirrors the move to the Wrexham area Parkinson, who celebrated his 56th birthday on December 1, made when deciding to take up his Racecourse post.

And Parkinson knows the importance of being part of the community, as his beaming face showed after celebrating lifting the National League title last April as well as the bus parade through the town.

“I’m immensely proud to be the manager of this club,” Parkinson said in the build-up to a League Two season that sees the Reds proudly sitting in second place in the table.

“I’ve been a part of an amazing journey and the aim is to create some more great memories for the people of Wrexham.”

Wrexham head into Saturday’s game in second place and six points behind League Two leaders Stockport County.