Smith's SOS for a spare keeper
By Mark Currie, Daily Post
02 August 2005
| WREXHAM tonight
entertain a Manchester United side likely to include internationals Edwin
Van der Sar, Gabriel Heinze, Phil Neville and Louis Saha in their final
friendly match before kicking off the new League Two campaign on Saturday. The clash, a testimonial for Racecourse assistant manager Kevin Russell, could prove a baptism of fire for 23-year-old Spanish central defender Alvaro Parra Dioni, who joined the Dragons yesterday for a week-long trial. Wrexham manager Denis Smith said the newcomer, who played for the same Basque youth team as Merseyside-based Premiership stars Mikel Arteta and Xabi Alonso and former Racecourse favourite Juan Ugarte, was likely to be given some match-time against Sir Alex Ferguson's line-up. But Smith's major concern last night was finding goalkeeping cover for his number one, Mike Ingham. Second-choice Michael Jones, who broke his wrist last season, took a knock during last week's trip to Northern Ireland and is due to have a precautionary X-ray today. "I need to have another keeper on the bench tomorrow, so it's a matter of some urgency," he said. "If the worst come to the worst I might ring Sir Alex and ask if he can help us out." But recent Old Trafford recruit Ben Foster, who was on loan at the Race-course in the latter stages of last season, will not be answering the SOS. The 24-year-old former Stoke City player last night joined Championship side Wat-ford on a season-long loan. Ferguson won't decide the final composition of his squad until this morning but Heinze, Neville and Saha are all desperately short of match practice, having missed United's Far East tour last week. Whatever the strength of the Old Trafford party, though, Smith claimed Wrexham had enjoyed a summer programme other League Two clubs could only dream of. "What more can a club like ours ask for?" he said. "We started the pre-season programme with a match against the current European champions and we are bringing it to a close with a match against arguably the biggest club in the world. "I thought last week's trip to Northern Ireland was excellent and I could see the progress being made over the course of the three games there. "Of course it will be a very different test for my players tomorrow but I'm looking to give everyone who is fit at least some part to play." And Smith said he was delighted that his assist-ant's commitment to Wrexham had been recognised by the Old Trafford club. "Certain people deserve these sort of testimonials and Kevin is certainly among them," he added. "He's been a good professional throughout his playing career, he's always given 100% wherever he's worked and I know from my own experience that when he played at Wrexham people thought the world of him. "Since he has come into management with me I've been delighted with his work, his commitment and his willingness to learn. "That Manchester United are sending a team for his testimonial is recognition of Kevin's standing within the game because you can be sure it doesn't happen for just anyone." In addition to teenage keeper Jones, defender Mike Williams and midfielder Jim Whitley are also ruled out for this evening by injury, but striker Jon Walters and Wales under-21 international Mark Jones have shaken off knocks to face United. Family tickets for tonight's match are available until 2pm from the Racecourse office and fans will be able to pay at the turnstiles for all other areas of the ground with the exception of the Pryce Griffiths stand, for which tickets are also available at the main office. Racecourse season tickets for the League Two campaign were received by the club yesterday lunchtime and will be put into the post within the next 48 hours to arrive before Saturday's opener against Boston United. |
Wrexham have no cover for Michael Ingham after Michael Jones (above) picked up a knock
I need to have another keeper on the bench tomorrow, so it's a matter of some urgency
Denis Smith |
