FORMER Wanderers boss Phil Parkinson has had to pull out of his new club’s pre-season schedule after testing positive for Covid-19.

The 53-year-old, who has recently taken charge at National League side Wrexham, missed the Reds’ 4-0 win against Fleetwood Town after going into self-isolation.

Parkinson led Wanderers to promotion from League One in 2016/17 and kept them in the Championship against the odds the following season.

He was praised for the way he led the club during difficult financial times under previous ownership and left in the summer of 2019 before joining Sunderland.

Assistant boss Steve Parkin, himself a popular former Wanderer, allayed fears that Parkinson’s symptoms were serious.

"He's frustrated, I think the word would be," he told the Wrexham Daily Leader.

"He's fine, there is no worry of him being ill or poorly.

"He felt it was necessary for the safety of the group to have a test because he felt a little bit under the weather but nothing serious.

"Sadly it came back positive so he has got to have a little break from it for a while."