Welsh Wrexham players need first team football

By RICHARD WILLIAMS

10 May 2008

BRIAN FLYNN insists Wrexham players will still be considered for his Wales under 21 team – if they are playing first team football for the Reds.

Wales are enjoying a hugely successful period under former Wrexham boss Flynn, whose side are on the verge of qualifying for the European under 21 Championship play-offs – needing just one win from the two final group matches to secure their spot.

Wrexham defender Mike Williams has featured in every minute of every game in the qualifying campaign which ends with a double header against Romania, while brother Marc Williams and Neil Taylor have also been included in some of Flynn's recent squads.

And with other young starlets at The Racecourse waiting in the wings – goalkeeper Chris Maxwell has signed a first professional contract and has experience of playing for Wales under 17s – Flynn said Wrexham players will still be considered despite the club lining up in the Blue Square Premier following the club's relegation.

"If they are playing first team football then I will consider them," said Flynn today.

"I picked Stuart Fleetwood last season when he was playing for Forest Green Rovers and scoring goals.

"Despite the disappointment of being in the Blue Square Premier, it is a relatively good standard.

"If someone is doing well, I won't rule any player out and I would like to think younger players will get their chance at Wrexham next season.

"There is talent there, even going a little lower down the chain with the likes of Chris Maxwell and Kai Edwards."

In the wake of Mark Jones, Chris Llewellyn and Neil Roberts not being offered new contracts by manager Brian Little, Wrexham currently have one full international – Steve Evans – on its books.

Centre-back Evans, also out of contract this summer, has been offered a new deal along with winger Matty Done but neither have yet put pen to paper.

Little was due to hold more talks today with Evans and he hopes the defender will commit his future to the Reds.

"I would like to resolve this as soon as possible but I am comfortable with the situation," said Little today.

"I am seeing Steve today but I have not heard from Matty.

"I have got some control of this and it will be sorted as time goes by."

Little has placed five players whose contracts run beyond the summer – Anthony Williams, Richard Hope, Sam Aiston, Silvio Spann and Michael Proctor – on the transfer list.

And although Little would like all five to move on so he would be able to bring in more fresh faces, he admits some of the players may still be at The Racecourse when pre-season training begins at the end of the month.

"Some players on the list may still be with us then so we will have to look at that," said Little.

"We have had a couple of calls about some of them but it might take a few weeks, when clubs report back for pre-season, before things move along.

"I am not in complete control of that."

Little has already made three new signings this summer.

Midfielder Paul Carden has joined the Reds from Accrington Stanley while strikers Simon Brown and Jefferson Louis have been recruited from Mansfield Town.

And Little, delighted to have added to his strike options with the capture of Brown and Louis, said more fresh faces will continue to arrive over the summer: "I am really pleased with that," he added.

"We have got a couple of different strikers there, and they are different to what we have had in the past.

"We are still building but I am delighted with how it is going up to now.

"We will continue to try and improve things."

Meanwhile, two players offered their first professional contracts by Little have now signed.

Goalkeeper Chris Maxwell and defender Chris Marriott have both accepted one-year deals.