Phil Parkinson arrived last Summer with a big reputation, and a big task: to deliver promotion for a very demanding fan base. For much of his first six months in charge, those supporters seemed to be reserving judgment, but after 7 wins on the trot they look like they’ve been won over.

His emotional reaction in front of the fans after the win in Chesterfield meant a lot to the fans, but when you analyse the nitty-gritty of his time at The Racecourse, you start to appreciate what underpins his side’s excellent form.

Parkinson should be commended for his strike rate in the transfer market. Admittedly he has had a lot of money to spend, but that doesn’t guarantee it’ll be spent well. If you want proof of this, take a look at how rich people dress themselves!

We’ve seen plenty of managers given a big budget and fail to spend it wisely. If we consider the big money takeovers of Premier League teams in the last 20 years, it often takes a season or two to get the balance right, and the manager is often thrown overboard during that process. Manchester City, for example, didn’t immediately settle into a title – winning groove once the big money came in.

However, Parkinson’s spending has been judicious. How he developed the squad drew criticism, and there were certainly gaps in it after the summer transfer window. However, it’s now plain to see why. 

Restricted by the transfer window, he quite simply ran out of time before completing his squad. That is forgivable: in fact I’d even go so far as to say it’s admirable, as he was unwilling to buy stopgap signings in the summer because he wanted to bring in quality. Obviously, the process of convincing players to sign for a lower division club, indeed, often to drop two divisions, isn’t an easy sell, even with our resources, owners and ambition.

However he managed to get a lot of the key pieces of the jigsaw in place in the summer, and the gaps were filled in January. And take a look at the results! We are currently on a run of seven wins in a row and look terrific. We’ve earned those wins with a pleasing mixture of quality and heart. This team looks like a promotion team, and key injuries have not stopped the momentum.

It’s gratifying to see how those three January signings fill the gaps. We needed a striker to partner Paul Mullen, and along came Ollie Palmer. Our midfield required an authoritative figure, and that’s exactly what Tom O’Connor is. Our wingbacks have been excellent this season, but Callum McFadzean clearly has a quality in his crossing which elevates our creative side and gives Palmer something to pray upon.

Parkinson was criticised at the start of the season for being too negative, which seemed harsh. Nobody is claiming we’re looking to bore our way into the Football League now! We’ve scored 4 or more goals in 6 of our last 23 games, after all.

He came with a big reputation to live up to: if Parkinson’s team keep playing as they are now, he’ll more than live up to it.