Phil Parkinson delivers powerful verdict on Wrexham’s conduct during Southampton Spygate row

Phil Parkinson has revealed he is proud of the way Wrexham conducted themselves during the fallout from Southampton’s Spygate controversy last season.

Wrexham were left frustrated after finishing seventh in the 2025-26 campaign and seeing their hopes of a play-off place increase when Southampton were removed from the final by the EFL.

The controversy centred on an intern being found watching Middlesbrough’s training before Southampton’s play-off semi-final. The club were subsequently removed from the play-off final and handed a four-point deduction for the following season. Similar incidents involving Oxford United and Ipswich Town later emerged.

Wrexham chose not to make a major public issue of the situation at the time, with Parkinson saying the club accepted the EFL’s decision despite believing they had a strong case for a play-off place.

The subject returned to the spotlight before Southampton’s visit to the Racecourse Ground when Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney released a tongue-in-cheek video referencing the controversy.

Promoting shirt sponsor Firefox, Reynolds joked about the importance of privacy before McElhenney added a reference to preventing “spies” from seeing what a club is doing.

Parkinson admitted he had watched the video before Wrexham’s meeting with Southampton but insisted the club’s own approach during the original controversy had been measured.

“It’s a bit of humour and obviously I’ve seen it,” Parkinson said.

“Some people will find it humorous; obviously, people in Southampton are not going to.

“But listen, as everybody knows, we kept our counsel around that time because we were the team which missed out.

“We accepted the EFL decision with great dignity. It was tough at the time because we could have had as strong a case as anybody to be in those play-offs.”

Southampton boss Tonda Eckert had previously admitted that the video was unlikely to amuse him, but said it would not affect his team ahead of the game.

The match itself eventually added another twist to the story.

James Ward-Prowse appeared to have rescued a point for Southampton after cancelling out Kieffer Moore’s first-half opener, but Wrexham snatched victory in dramatic fashion when Keven Schlotterbeck turned Jacques Ekomie’s cross into his own net in the 89th minute.

The victory also provided a huge response from Parkinson’s players and supporters following their heavy 6-0 defeat by West Ham United eight days earlier.

Parkinson, who came through Southampton’s academy, was given a huge reception before kick-off and later praised the Wrexham support.

“The reception they gave me as I walked across the pitch before the game meant a lot,” he said.

The Wrexham boss said the atmosphere demonstrated the unity running through the club, with supporters, players, staff and owners all pulling together.

And after the dramatic late winner, Parkinson had another reason to celebrate as Wrexham finally secured their first home win of the season.