Like a president announcing election victory, Phil Parkinson was greeted with rapturous applause as he took to the stage at City’s awards night.

And when the ovation had finally subsided, he was posed the question that every City fan wants answered. What happens next?

The manager’s new contract was first mooted in January around the time that Aston Villa were slain at Valley Parade. Four months on and it is still the major topic on the lips of everyone connected with the club.

Whatever the cynics might say, there have been genuine reasons for all the delays and hold-ups – the biggest being the serious condition of Parkinson’s agent Barry Nevill.

I’d been told in confidence a while back that Nevill had been operated on for a perforated bowel – delicate, life-threatening surgery. But it was not until Tuesday night that Parkinson spelled it out in public.

The on-off negotiations first with Parkinson’s agent and then the League Managers’ Association inevitably ate into the days and weeks. And there were other time-consuming distractions such as Julian Rhodes completing the sale of his private business – which was done last week – and reaching Wembley for the first time.

The fact that City are now preparing to go back is likely to mean that the talks will take a familiar back-seat once more.

The sole focus between now and 1.30pm next Saturday will be on beating Northampton and finally winning that elusive promotion after six seasons in the bottom tier. Nobody will be in the mood to talk anything other than shop.

So it is likely to be after Wembley before the two chairmen and the management team’s people get their heads together again. The present contracts will have less than six weeks to run by that point.

There is no apparent air of panic on either side; both remain keen and confident on getting things done. For what it’s worth, I share that faith.

But while there are no signatures on papers, the outside uncertainty will remain. With no definitive statements, all the supporters hear is unsubstantiated speculation and idle gossip linking the manager with other vacancies.

Parkinson told the heaving banqueting suite that he wants to keep all his coaching staff intact for the long term. Few will argue with the impact they have all played in this marathon season.

The likes of fitness guru Nick Allamby have been worth their weight in gold keeping the players going strong and still looking fresh as they build up for game number 64 – a club record.

If City can finish the job and win promotion, the unsung heroes behind the scenes can claim to have been just as instrumental as those in the heat of the battle on the pitch.

The board can justifiably say they have backed the boss all the way financially, extending the budget to allow for recruits in January and unforeseen player bonuses – who would have imagined the cup final clause ever being triggered in this lifetime?

It seems a perfect fit between manager and club; one capable of ending a decade or more of doom and disappointment. But the longer that “team Parkinson” remain unsigned, the more tempting their boss naturally appears for others in the market.

Blackpool made their move within days of that victory over Villa – only for Parkinson to reject the chance of a two-division jump and £200,000 annual salary, believed to be four times what he currently earns.

Then came his former club Reading where, although no approach was ever made, his name was certainly bandied around. Had John Madejski still been at their helm, the interest would have been concrete.

Parkinson has also appeared in the mix for the current vacancy at Sheffield United. There’s no indication that he is close to the seven-strong tally of candidates but an in-form manager coming out of contract on their doorstep will certainly be monitored.

And one national journalist tweeted on Thursday night that Parkinson could be in Doncaster’s sights.

With the majority of their promotion-winning squad out of contract, Champion-ship-bound Rovers are keen to make an appointment as quickly as possible.

The shortlist will be drawn up by Monday and the new man could well be in place by the end of the week. That timescale would hardly work with a manager who is preparing for Wembley.

But while former Oldham boss Paul Dickov is the strong tip, Parkinson does tick all the boxes for the type of manager that Doncaster owner John Ryan is chasing.

“He wants a young, progressive manager,” said a source yesterday. “Someone like Phil Parkinson would fit the mould nicely.”

That is the nagging fear for City fans. On the eve of potentially their first promotion since Molineux 14 years ago, the worry remains that the man who has guided them to the brink is still not nailed down for next season.

Once again, it seems the sub-plot to Wembley will be the future of Parkinson.

There is no obvious stumbling block; those dotted I’s and crossed T’s should get done eventually. And then the club can breathe easy.

After so many years spent in reverse, City have finally discovered a forward gear again. Now is not the time to let the driver bail out and allow the bandwagon to stall.