I lifted the Premier League but was in so much pain I didn’t deserve it – now I’ve made Wrexham history and fans love me
Matty James wrote his name into Wrexham folklore on Saturday evening. The midfielder was part of the Red Dragons side which won promotion to the Championship. RexJames helped Wrexham secure promotion to the Championship on Saturday[/caption] The midfielder won the title with Leicester but missed the whole season through injuryPA Phil Parkinson’s side beat Charlton 3-0 at the Racecourse Ground to confirm their second place spot in League One. The promotion comes nine years after James lifted the Premier League with Leicester in 2016. However, the Foxes’ title triumph was bittersweet for the former England youth international. James missed the entire title-winning campaign with a torn cruciate ligament. It left him feeling as if he ‘didn’t deserve to be there’ as Claudio Ranieri’s Foxes celebrated their historic achievement. Reflecting on his emotions in 2017, James told The Guardian: “I felt I didn’t deserve to be there, to be pictured. “If you ask Danny Drinkwater, when I lifted the Premier League trophy I went to him, he had me in his arms and I was in tears. I was crying my eyes out, purely because I had no part to play in it whatsoever.” James spent nine years at the King Power Stadium after signing from Manchester United in 2012. Injuries limited him to just 117 appearances during that time, though, including 35 matches during their promotion-winning 2013/14 campaign. It did not help to soften the blow of missing Leicester’s fairytale season, however. RexWrexham beat Charlton to seal a third consecutive promotion[/caption] RexJames has become a key man for the Red Dragons since joining the club in October[/caption] James added: “I was going home thinking: ‘What is going on here? The club is going to win the Premier League and I’m nowhere near it.’ “It wasn’t that I didn’t want it to happen. But it was hard because I felt like I was on a rollercoaster going all the way down and the club was going in the opposite direction.” Almost a decade on, James has reason to celebrate with Wrexham after their historic promotion. The Red Dragons have secured a third consecutive promotion under Parkinson. It completes their journey from the National League to the Championship under Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. James joined the club in October after leaving Bristol City at the end of last season. He has since made 31 League One appearances, scoring twice and providing three assists. His performances also earned a contract extension just two months after joining, with James’ new deal running through to 2026.
Matty James wrote his name into Wrexham folklore on Saturday evening.
The midfielder was part of the Red Dragons side which won promotion to the Championship.
Phil Parkinson’s side beat Charlton 3-0 at the Racecourse Ground to confirm their second place spot in League One.
The promotion comes nine years after James lifted the Premier League with Leicester in 2016.
However, the Foxes’ title triumph was bittersweet for the former England youth international.
James missed the entire title-winning campaign with a torn cruciate ligament.
It left him feeling as if he ‘didn’t deserve to be there’ as Claudio Ranieri’s Foxes celebrated their historic achievement.
Reflecting on his emotions in 2017, James told The Guardian: “I felt I didn’t deserve to be there, to be pictured.
“If you ask Danny Drinkwater, when I lifted the Premier League trophy I went to him, he had me in his arms and I was in tears. I was crying my eyes out, purely because I had no part to play in it whatsoever.”
James spent nine years at the King Power Stadium after signing from Manchester United in 2012.
Injuries limited him to just 117 appearances during that time, though, including 35 matches during their promotion-winning 2013/14 campaign.
It did not help to soften the blow of missing Leicester’s fairytale season, however.
James added: “I was going home thinking: ‘What is going on here? The club is going to win the Premier League and I’m nowhere near it.’
“It wasn’t that I didn’t want it to happen. But it was hard because I felt like I was on a rollercoaster going all the way down and the club was going in the opposite direction.”
Almost a decade on, James has reason to celebrate with Wrexham after their historic promotion.
The Red Dragons have secured a third consecutive promotion under Parkinson.
It completes their journey from the National League to the Championship under Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
James joined the club in October after leaving Bristol City at the end of last season.
He has since made 31 League One appearances, scoring twice and providing three assists.
His performances also earned a contract extension just two months after joining, with James’ new deal running through to 2026.
