Wrexham find new opponents at last minute after Premier League giants pull out of friendly
Wrexham will face non-league outfit Hanley Town in a final tuneup before their American tour after Premier League giants Liverpool reportedly pulled out of a behind-closed-doors friendly
Northern Premier League side Hanley Town FC have swooped in to provide Wrexham with a tune-up match before the Welsh club’s high-profile American tour begins on July 24.
Manager Phil Parkinson explained to the Wrexham Leader on Friday that the Dragons had previously scheduled a closed-door exhibition with an unnamed Premier League giant in preparation for their American adventure before suffering a last-minute cancellation. The match is scheduled for 1 pm BST at Afford Rent-a-Car Stadium in Stoke.
“We had a game organised against a Premier League club behind closed doors at their training ground which they pulled out of because of complications with their pre-season tour,” said Parkinson. “We had to quickly arrange an alternative and we went to Hanley, looked at the pitch and spoke to the owner.
“They moved their fixtures around to accommodate us but the upside for them is that they are going to attract a fantastic crowd which can help them with the budget going forward. It is a good fixture which sets us on our way to America.”
Wrexham AFC Podcast, later confirmed that Liverpool was the club in question, whose pre-season tour begins on July 27 against Real Betis in Pittsburgh. It’s not too long ago that Wrexham inhabited a similar realm of the football pyramid as seventh-tier Hanley Town, teetering on relegation from the National League in 2020.
However, that winter, American actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney purchased the club and sparked a rapid ascent up the leagues. The Red Dragons will begin play in League One this season for the first time in two decades after successive promotions
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