Wrexham: Midfielder Matty James geared up for big season
The midfielder immediately impressed and was rewarded with a new contract, extending his stay with the Reds until the end of the 2025-26 season.
Having helped Wrexham clinch an historic third successive promotion and place in the Championship, everything worked out well in the end for James and there were no worries about where he would be playing next season with the 33-year-old tied down by Phil Parkinson.
"I had a chat with my wife and family about how strange it was last year for me," said James, who is now in Australia where the Reds will play three games on their Down Under tour.
"Weeks and months passed me by and I was training on my own so it was quite hard.
"This summer was a lot more relaxed and I could look forward to the start of the new season knowing that my future is taken care of.
"That allowed me to enjoy the summer and be prepared and ready to go again.
"It was unbelievable the way we finished last season and now we have got the excitement of the up-coming Championship season."
Wrexham are back in the second tier for the first time in 43 years and it is a division that James is no stranger to.
He made 104 appearances for Bristol City in three Championship campaigns, scoring four goals, and previously enjoyed a long spell with Leicester City where he was a promotion winner from the second tier and was with the Foxes when they won the Premier League in 2016.
"The Championship a tough league and I think everybody knows that," he said.
"It's one of the most watched leagues in the world and with the teams that are in there, it becomes hard in terms of money that people have to spend
"The players that play in the Championship are obviously excellent players, we have just got to relish the challenge and go out there and play our way, and hopefully take the winning. mentality we've got into the start of the season."
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City reached the play-offs last season, securing a top-six finish against the odds as more fancied sides missed out, proof says James that anything can happen.
"You have just got to stick at it in the Championship," he added.
"If you are in and around the middle of the table then anything can happen.
"Every game is a tough game and when I was at Bristol City, we had a good squad and kind of improved each year.
"They obviously they did really well last year to get in the play-offs so it just shows that hopefully you can try and build something and see how the season goes."
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