Wrexham’s Phil Parkinson automatically becomes third longest-serving manager in English football as EFL boss sacked

Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson has jumped to third place on the list of English football’s longest-serving managers. It comes after Bromley announced the sacking of Andy Woodman , who had been in charge of the south London club for five-and-a-half years. Who are the longest-serving managers in English football? Parkinson is now one of only four managers across the Premier League and EFL who have been in their job for five years or more. Arsenal ‘s title-winning boss Mikel Arteta tops the list having held the reins at the Emirates Stadium since December 2019. League One Mansfield Town’s Nigel Clough has been in post 237 days longer than Parkinson at Wrexham . League Two Barnet’s Dean Brennan is the other current manager in the top four divisions to have passed the five-year mark. Like Brennan with Barnet, Parkinson guided Wrexham back to the EFL, winning the 2022/23 National League title. He followed that up with two more promotions as the Red Dragons became the first side ever in the top five tiers to go up three seasons running. Parkinson currently has Wrexham sitting 14th in the Championship after narrowly missing out on the play-offs last term. The 58-year-old had been under pressure amid a rocky start to the new campaign, but he responded by overseeing a 4-1 thrashing of Preston at the weekend. At the other end of the spectrum, seven managers in the 92 are less than 100 days into their tenure. Michael Duff was the most recent new appointment, taking over at League One Bradford City after Graham Alexander left to become manager of Preston . Longest serving managers in English football Mikel Arteta (Arsenal) – 6 years, 303 days Nigel Clough (Mansfield) – 5 years, 349 days Phil Parkinson (Wrexham) – 5 years, 112 days Dean Brennan (Barnet) – 5 years, 31 days Paul Cook (Chesterfield) – 4 years, 253 days Richie Wellens (Leyton Orient) – 4 years, 226 days Johnnie Jackson (AFC Wimbledon) – 4 years, 158 days Unai Emery (Aston Villa) – 3 years, 354 days Lee Bell (Crewe) – 3 years, 351 days John Mousinho (Portsmouth) – 3 years, 274 days Duff’s new job came shortly after he was sacked by fellow League One outfit Wycombe Wanderers , who subsequently made 36-year-old Tom Hounsell the fourth-youngest boss in the EFL . Sacking season underway Two months into the 2026/27 campaign, sacking season is in full swing. In addition to Alexander leaving of his own volition, four managers have been dismissed this term. Woodman is the second in as many days to lose their job after Crawley Town dispensed with the services of Colin Kazim-Richards with the team rock-bottom of League Two. Former Leeds and Sheffield United boss Kevin Blackwell has since been placed in interim charge. Bromley, meanwhile, will be led by former captain Byron Webster as they begin the search for Woodman’s successor.