Josh Windass, Wrexham’s scoring powerhouse from last season, is officially out for the upcoming pre-season clash against Leeds United, sidelined by a calf injury setback. This is a tough pill to swallow for the Red Dragons faithful, especially with the team already on their high-profile tour of the United States. Windass, who joined Wrexham in the summer of 2025 after more than five years tearing it up at Sheffield Wednesday, hasn’t played in any of the summer matches so far, and now we know why the man who racked up 17 goals in his debut campaign won’t be hitting the pitch against the Premier League Whites.
Windass’s Setback: A Blow to the Attack
Boss Phil Parkinson confirmed the news, straight up saying, “Josh Windass is going to miss out. He’s had a setback with his calf injury, which is a shame for Josh but that is part and parcel of football.” Windass was a crucial piece of the puzzle, wrapping up the 2025-26 season as the club’s top scorer, with a ridiculous seven of his 17 goals coming in his final eight Championship appearances. That kind of clutch performance is exactly what you want heading into a challenging pre-season schedule. While the 32-year-old is still part of the 28-man squad traveling through the US, his absence from the pitch at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, is a real bummer. It’s a huge test against Daniel Farke’s Leeds side, and not having your main goal threat available is a definite challenge.
Positive Vibes, Tough Schedule
Despite the Windass news, Wrexham’s pre-season hasn’t been all bad. They’ve had a solid start to what’s a seriously tough schedule. The Red Dragons held Polish giants Wisla Krakow to a goalless draw, which is no small feat, before pulling off a sweet 1-0 victory over Manchester United in Helsinki, thanks to Sam Smith’s first half goal. Parkinson is banking on that momentum, hoping his side can carry the positives from that triumph into the Leeds fixture. “For us it’s more about our development and our progression as a team in this game,” Parkinson added, emphasizing the focus on building. “We will respect and look at Leeds’ strengths but we want to make sure we take the positives from the United game and look to replicate that.”
Wrexham’s US tour is far from over, with some absolute crackers coming up. After Leeds, they’re heading to New York’s iconic Yankee Stadium to face Liverpool on Thursday, July 30. Then they’ll wrap up this epic journey against Parkinson’s former club Sunderland at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, August 2. Parkinson’s not taking any of this for granted, saying, “It’s amazing. We never take it for granted and we feel very privileged to be here.” He pointed out how many players are new and experiencing a US tour for the first time, enjoying the “fantastic” facilities. The team’s development against top-tier competition is key, and every game is a chance to grow. It’s a big couple of weeks for the Red Dragons as they continue to gel and get ready for what’s ahead.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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