Wales defender James Collins pulls out of Euro 2016 qualifier

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James CollinsImage source, Getty Images
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West Ham United defender James Collins has won 44 caps for Wales

Wales manager Chris Coleman has named three uncapped players in his squad for their opening Euro 2016 qualifier away to Andorra on 9 September.

Manchester United forward Tom Lawrence and goalkeepers Kyle Letheren of Dundee and Tranmere's Owain Fon Williams are included in the 23-man squad.

West Ham United defender, James Collins, has withdrawn with a hamstring injury.

Newcastle United's Paul Dummett has been called-up to replace him.

Dummett, earned his first senior Wales cap as a substitute in Wales' 2-0 friendly defeat against the Netherlands in Amsterdam on 4 June 2014.

There are doubts as to where the match against Andorra will be played.

It could potentially be moved from the national stadium in Andorra la Vella as there are concerns over the 3G pitch.

A Fifa inspection on the new artificial surface will be carried out on Friday.

Lawrence, 20, made his United senior debut at the end of the 2013-14 season in May's victory over Hull City at Old Trafford and is expected to sign a new deal soon.

Letheren's father, Glan, was a goalkeeper for Leeds United and Swansea City in the 1970s and 80s and was the Wales reserve keeper on 12 occasions without winning a senior cap under Dai Davies.

Fulham winger George Williams and Hull defender James Chester keep their places in the squad after making their senior debuts in June's 2-0 friendly loss away to Netherlands.

Midfielder Joe Ledley is also included despite sitting out Crystal Palace's defeat to West Ham United at the weekend after being injured in the warm-up.

The knock is not thought to be serious though and Ledley is expected to be fit to take his place alongside the likes of Real Madrid's Gareth Bale and Arsenal star Aaron Ramsey.

In Group B, Wales will also face Bosnia-Hercegovina, Belgium, Israel and Cyprus.

The Euro 2016 finals are being hosted by France, who qualify automatically, and will be made up of 24 nations, an increase from 16 in the current format.

The top two teams in each of the nine groups will reach the tournament finals along with the best third-placed finisher, while the remaining eight third-placed teams go into play-offs in November 2015.

Wales squad

Goalkeepers:

Wayne Hennessey

Crystal Palace

Kyle Letheren

Dundee

Owain Fon Williams

Tranmere Rovers

Defenders:

James Chester

Hull City

Paul Dummett

Newcastle United

Ben Davies

Tottenham Hotspur

Chris Gunter

Reading

Adam Matthews

Celtic

Samuel Ricketts

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Neil Taylor

Swansea City

Ashley Williams

Swansea City

Midfielders:

Joe Allen

Liverpool

Emyr Huws

Manchester City (loan Wigan Ath)

Andy King

Leicester City

Joe Ledley

Crystal Palace

Aaron Ramsey

Arsenal

David Vaughan

Nottingham Forest

Forwards:

Gareth Bale

Real Madrid

Simon Church

Charlton Athletic

Tom Lawrence

Manchester United

Hal Robson-Kanu

Reading

George Williams

Fulham

Jonathan Williams

Crystal Palace

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