Wrexham stunned Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on Tuesday night, and after the game, boss Phil Parkinson lifted the lid on the surprising source behind his team’s game plan.
Parkinson admitted that former Leicester defender Conor Coady, who was on the bench for Wrexham, played a crucial role in preparing the Welsh side to snatch a valuable point.
The 31-year-old, sold by Leicester for £2m shortly after Marti Cifuentes arrived, didn’t feature on the pitch but instead made his impact off it, feeding Wrexham’s staff with “secret information” about his former team-mates.
“His knowledge about Leicester was very helpful for us today,” Parkinson said.
“We had Conor come in with us and the analysts yesterday and he was talking through the individuals.
“As a staff, we’ve watched a lot of the players and I was there Friday at West Brom, but having that extra insight as well was invaluable for us.”
Leicester fans were quick to make their feelings known as Coady was booed when warming up on the sidelines, but the centre-back was warmly embraced by his ex-team-mates before kick-off.
For Parkinson and his staff though, his guidance proved decisive as they managed to frustrate Cifuentes’ Foxes and leave the King Power with something to show for their efforts.
The night also carried subplots of old Leicester faces crossing paths. Lewis Brunt started for Wrexham, while Matty James was introduced in the second half to a round of applause from the home crowd. It was James’ arrival that helped swing the momentum, before Nathan Broadhead struck late to seal a result that left the travelling fans celebrating.
For Wrexham, the draw marks another step forward in their Championship journey. Since their promotion, Parkinson’s men have shown resilience away from home, losing just one of their four matches on the road.
“It’s another step,” Parkinson reflected.
“It’s another good strong performance from us at this level. We were better today in terms of getting control at times. We’ve come up against some good teams on our travels and done well.”
In the end, the revelation of Coady’s role added extra spice to the evening. The Foxes may not have seen it coming, but for Wrexham, tapping into the knowledge of a former Leicester stalwart proved to be the difference between defeat and a well-earned point.