Phil Parkinson has been told that one player deserves to be a ‘future Wrexham captain’ after doing something ‘staggering’ against Chelsea.
Wrexham’s trip to the United States this summer for their Wrex Coast tour is a barometer for how they’ve come in the space of a year.
In 2023, Phil Parkinson’s men were thrashed 5-0 by Chelsea and had no answer to their onslaught of attacks, but this time round, the Reds were able to hold their own against the Blues, securing a 2-2 draw.
Rob McElhenney was in attendance to see Luke Bolton strike and substitute Jack Marriott plant one past Lucas Bergstrom as Parkinson’s side were solid value for a draw.
This was Wrexham’s second match of their US tour after sharing the spoils with fellow Premier League side Bournemouth while their final game is against Vancouver Whitecaps.
Playing opposition who are far superior is an ideal opportunity for the fringe players to showcase their worth and the regulars to demonstrate why they deserve to keep their place.
Max Cleworth is a ‘future Wrexham captain’ after what he did vs Chelsea
Friendlies are usually played at a pedestrian pace and rarely played at a high intensity but this one was from minute one.
Wrexham pressed the Blues and forced them into mistakes, as James McClean got into a scuffle with defender Levi Colwill following a late challenge on him.
It was a moment that saw tempers fray inside the Levi’s Stadium and unsurprisingly, McClean was at the centre of the action.
The Irishman is known for his short fuze and is easily wound up by the opposition, as both players forcibly grabbed each other’s shirts, while several rushed over to break the altercation up.
Leading Wrexham’s charge to defend McClean and the first to calm him down was youngster Max Cleworth. Journalist Rich Fay believed this moment epitomizes how much he’s grown as a player, lauding him as a ‘future Wrexham captain’.
Speaking on the Rob Ryan Red podcast, Fay said: “Another word on Max as well. When McClean and Colwill had their altercation after two minutes, I think Max was the first player over to try and calm him down.
“This kid is just so senior already, like he’s just a future Wrexham captain, you can just tell can’t you? I’m just in awe of watching Max Cleworth because it just felt like when he first came into the team, we’re always going to love youth team players and we’re always going to have that special bond with them and that connection.
“And Max was one of them who was very easy to champion and be a cheerleader for. But I’m staggered by how good this guy is at football. I’m absolutely blown away.”
The Wrexham fan and journalist was left completely blown away by how good Cleworth is, and this incident just shows how the 21-year-old is mature beyond his years.
Max Cleworth is one of the first names on the team sheet
Cleworth has evolved into a fantastic defender under Parkinson and his place on the right side of defence is assured.
The Welshman is everything you want in a modern-day centre-back; he’s physically strong, can carry the ball out from defence, read the game superbly and spray passes into midfield.
It’s this reason why he was given a new three-year contract at the Racecourse Ground, as the club sees him as an invaluable part of their future.
Cleworth is also an example of what level of talent can be produced from their academy. Wrexham have just seen their Category Three application get accepted, meaning they can field teams from under 9 upwards.
This is fantastic news for the club, as it only points towards a bright future, where they can hopefully unearth the next Cleworth.