Wrexham have secured the signing of a new midfielder after landing Matty James on a free transfer – and he has ties to a Wrexham hero.
Wrexham are going strong in League One but have still been forced to dip into the free agent market.
Phil Parkinson saw George Evans pick up an injury at Stevenage before Jack Marriott was ruled out for four months.
Parkinson played down Wrexham signing a free agent at that point, but Steven Fletcher’s injury before facing Huddersfield Town prompted action.
Wrexham snapped up midfielder Matty James and forward Jon Dadi Bodvarsson on Friday, adding two experienced performers to Parkinson’s squad.
Bodvarsson warmed up before Saturday’s draw at Charlton Athletic but James was named on the bench at The Valley.
- READ MORE: Who is Jon Dadi Bodvarsson? Wrexham’s new striker signing profiled after leaving Bolton Wanderers
Matty James has connection to Wrexham hero
James left Bristol City at the end of last season and arrives with plenty of Championship experience.
The 33-year-old has played nearly 250 times at Championship level and now arrives to make an impact in League One.
Wrexham appear to have landed a coup with Leeds United even interested in signing James before Parkinson swooped in.
James was an academy star at Manchester United in his early days but cut his teeth in men’s football under a Wrexham hero.
James was sent on loan to Preston North End in January 2010 with Sir Alex Ferguson doing his son something of a favour.
Former Wrexham star Darren Ferguson was the man in charge at Deepdale at the time and James was one of two United loanees to arrive; the other was Danny Welbeck.
James made an instant impact under Ferguson, scoring agains Sheffield United before adding another goal to his account against Nottingham Forest.
Ferguson was able to lure James back for another loan spell but was recalled by Sir Alex Ferguson after his son’s sacking by PNE.
What Darren Ferguson has said about Matty James
James well and truly cut his teeth in men’s football during his 2010 stint with PNE and Ferguson played a key role in his early development.
Ferguson told The Mirror in 2010 that he would love to sign James permanently, but could only convince his father to sanction another loan.
“Bringing Matty back is a conversation I’ll have to have with my old man,” said Ferguson. “I would be keen on bringing him here full-stop but I’ll have to see how he fits into their plans.
“He’s only a kid but I’ve been really impressed with him. Matty has taken to how we want to do things here straight away,” he added.
Ferguson praised James for his performances in a PNE shirt and, some 14 years later, is now seeing James follow in his footsteps by joining Wrexham.
James has only signed a short-term deal until January, so he will have quite the task in emulating Ferguson.
The Scot played more than 300 league games for Wrexham and regularly comes up in ‘best Wrexham XI of all-time’ debates.
All James can do is impress and attempt to win an extended stay at Wrexham and if he can impress even half as much as Ferguson did in his playing days, this deal will have been a roaring success for Wrexham.