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Fernandes and Dibling being in the Saints squad reminds there’s much of the transfer window to come; what will these teams’ lineups look like in Southampton.
The teams take to the field, and there’s two Tifos. In the Wrexham end, a celebration of the late club legend Joey Jones, and in the home end, a large banner that features Matt Le Tissier in the centre.
Six new signings start for Wrexham: Ward, Coady, Cacace, O’Brien, Windass, Moore all feature. Ryan Hardie, a summer arrival from Plymouth, starts on the bench.
A back five for Southampton. Mateus Fernandes is on the bench with Everton target Flynn Downes fit to start. Adam Armstrong leads the line with Ryan Fraser and Jay Robinson on either side of him.
The teams
Southampton: Bazunu, Sugawara, Edwards, Stephens, Welington, Downes, Charles, Fraser, Robinson, Armstrong, Quarshie. Subs: McCarthy, Wood-Gordon, Manning, Matsuki, Fernandes, Brereton Diaz, Archer, Stewart, Downs.
Wrexham: Ward, Cleworth, Coady, Brunt, Barnett, Dobson, Matty James, Cacace, Windass, O’Brien, Moore. Subs: Okonkwo, O’Connell, McClean, Hardie, Evans, Smith, Lee, Ashfield, Longman.
Referee: James Bell (Yorkshire)
That doesn’t prevent us linking to Ben Fisher’s Championship preview.
The Championship is already underway, with last night’s rather stodgy affair.
Interview with Will Still, the new Southampton manager, someone with a very different background.
Couple of stats here to show how far Wrexham have come. They haven’t played in the second tier since 1982.
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This is the first meeting in any competition between Southampton and Wrexham since the 1979-80 League Cup second round, when Saints won 5-0 at home and 3-0 away in a two-legged tie.
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The last league encounter between Southampton and Wrexham was in April 1960 in the third tier, with the Welsh side winning 2-1 through goals from Ron Harbertson and Bernard Evans.
Preamble
Welcome to Southampton, welcome to the Championship, Wrexham. Here comes the latest season, as Disney visits Southampton, as it regularly does with cruise ships. Southampton are under the new management of Will Still, the club’s latest appointment of a progressive manager. Phil Parkinson is in charge of Wrexham, and he’s added a few players to the cast list you may – or may not, depending on your streaming package – you recognise. Saints aim to return to the Premier League after being all but relegated by September last season. For Wrexham, the Premier League represents a season finale on the level of Game of Thrones Red Wedding or Big Pussy’s ride on Tony Soprano’s boat. It all starts here.
Kick-off at 12.30pm. Join me.
