The first players for the men’s team representing the Wrexham Red Dragons at TST 2024 have been revealed.
The $1 million winner-takes-all 7-a-side tournament takes place in Cary, North Carolina, from June 5-10 with an expanded 48-team men’s tournament and brand new eight-team women’s tournament at Wakemed Soccer Park.
Wrexham Red Dragons will return to the men’s competition, having won all three group-stage matches last season before defeat to former US internationals Jimmy Conrad and DaMarcus Beasley’s eponymous team in the knock-out stages.
Former Premier League ace George Boyd, who ignited last year’s tournament with his ‘Target Score Time’ winner in Wrexham’s opening game against Como 1907 will once again be representing Wrexham as a guest player.
Also confirmed to return from last year’s team are first-team coach David Jones – who will again be player-manager – goalkeeper Mark Howard and young defender Scott Butler.
Tricky midfielder Dan Jarvis, who was the Red Dragons’ top scorer after hitting two hat-tricks last season – is confirmed to return for 2024 too, having spent last season with Kettering Town.
Among those making their TST debuts in 2024, meanwhile, will be Wrexham AFC first-team pros Aaron James and Jake Bickerstaff.
James, who was part of the men’s first-team’s US Tour last summer, made his senior league debut in October against Salford City and has played four times in total this season, as well as featuring regularly at Reserve and Under-18 level.
Bickerstaff, meanwhile, scored his first EFL goal in August against Walsall and played 14 times in all before finishing the season on loan at fellow Sky Bet League Two side Accrington Stanley.
Bob Clark Academy Player of the Season, Harry Ashfield, is also selected – fresh from a season in which he has made his first-team debut and topped the Under-18s’ goalscoring charts. Team-mates Callum Edwards and goalkeeper Liam Hall will also be flying out for their first taste of TST action.
Also debuting will be two new guest stars. Honduran international Roger Espinoza – an FA Cup winner with Wigan in 2013 who made more than 200 MLS appearances for Sporting Kansas City – is confirmed for the tournament.
Well-travelled forward Gary Hooper, who enjoyed success with Scunthorpe, Celtic, Norwich and Sheffield Wednesday – where he was a team-mate of Jones’ – among others will bolster the team’s attacking options, meanwhile.
The final players travelling to be part of this year’s Wrexham Red Dragons squad will be confirmed in due course.
Wrexham Red Dragons – Men’s Squad 2024 (so far)
- Mark Howard
- Liam Hall
- Scott Butler
- Aaron James
- David Jones
- Callum Edwards
- Roger Espinoza
- Harry Ashfield
- Dan Jarvis
- George Boyd
- Jake Bickerstaff
- Gary Hooper
