The 17 goals Wrexham fans cheered last season are going to be conspicuously absent in their upcoming pre-season friendly against Leeds United. Josh Windass, the Red Dragons’ prolific forward and their top scorer in the 2025-26 campaign, is officially sidelined with a calf injury setback. Manager Phil Parkinson confirmed the gut-wrenching news, stating Windass won’t feature in the stateside clash at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
A Major Blow to the Red Dragons’ Attack
This isn’t a minor tweak; this is a significant setback for the 32-year-old who absolutely lit it up last season, his debut year at Wrexham. Windass bagged a whopping 17 goals across all competitions, with seven of those coming in his final eight Championship appearances. That’s clutch performance, plain and simple. He’s been with the squad on their US tour, part of the 28-man roster, but he’s already missed their earlier summer matches against Wisla Krakow and Manchester United. Coach Parkinson kept it real, 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. Apart from that, everybody is ready.” It’s tough to hear, especially when he’s such a vital part of the attack after joining the club in summer 2025 following more than five years at Sheffield Wednesday.
Stateside Tour Continues Strong, Despite Injury Woes
Even with Windass on the mend, Wrexham has kicked off what is a brutal pre-season schedule on a positive note. They battled Polish giants Wisla Krakow to a goalless draw, then turned around and pulled off a massive 1-0 victory over Manchester United in Helsinki, thanks to Sam Smith’s first half goal. That’s the kind of momentum boss Parkinson wants to carry into the Leeds game. He stressed the importance of development, saying, “it’s difficult to fully predict the personnel and the shape of the team, so we’ll touch on that and I’m sure they will on us, but for us it’s more about our development and our progression as a team in this game.” The message is clear: respect the opponent, but focus on Wrexham’s game. After facing Daniel Farke’s side in Tampa, the Red Dragons head to New York’s iconic Yankee Stadium to take on Liverpool on Thursday, July 30. They’ll wrap up this incredible US tour against Parkinson’s old club, Sunderland, at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, August 2.
This US tour is clearly a massive deal, and Parkinson isn’t letting anyone forget it. He called it “amazing” and stressed, “We never take it for granted and we feel very privileged to be here.” With fantastic training facilities and more iconic stadiums to play in, the team is soaking it all in, even with Windass’s setback. So, for now, the focus shifts to Leeds this Sunday. It’s another chance for Wrexham to test their progression, sharpen their play, and keep building that pre-season momentum as they head towards an exciting season 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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