Matthew James

James's current-season form is level with last season (Season 26→26), while his Rating held around 20. His peak season for form remains 2021/22 (Season 32).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2026/27	Wrexham · 15th	2	0	0	7.05	20	26
2025/26	Wrexham · 7th	37	1	2	6.93	20	26
2024/25	Wrexham · 2nd	33	2	3	6.99	18	31
2023/24	Bristol City · 11th	37	3	0	6.87	30	31
2022/23	Bristol City · 14th	34	0	0	6.84	34	18

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 11 earlier seasons and 4 youth-team spells in the full career.

England · international

Side	Apps	G
England U20	3	0
England U19	4	0

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Experienced headCentral midfielder

M. James is a 35-year-old central midfielder at Wrexham, enjoying a standout season — 1 goals and 2 assists in 37 appearances, a Season grade of 26. On long-term scout potential he's rated 19.5. A seasoned veteran, he has been a rotation option (54% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 3.34 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on James.

On the season, James graded 26 for current form (age-blind), on 1 goal, 2 assists and 3.339 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 26 → 26). Over the 7 seasons on record his form has held fairly steady, peaking in 2021/22.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 20. At 35 James is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 4.5 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Below his 2021/22 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.

Peak: 2021/22Holding levelRemarkably consistentStepped up 2025/26Injury-hit 2025/26

19.5

Ratingi

below regular-starter level

25.5

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

54%

Minutes

rotation minutes

3.34

Def. actions / 90

moderate defensive volume

Output in context · Wrexham finished 7th of 24 · an upper-table side

Apps

3.34

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

3.34 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 6 clean sheets across 37 appearances. Behind an upper-table side (7th of 24) the side controls more games, so the defensive load is lighter — the value sits as much in composure and ball progression as in raw volume. Going forward he chipped in 1 goal and 2 assists — a useful bonus from the back.

Watch points

Game time. Only 54% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Age curve. At 35, both level and resale value are on the downslope.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

Rated 19.5 overall — below regular-starter level. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (3.34 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Veteran phase — a short-term, lower-fee proposition as both level and value decline (0.6× and falling).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %54%

Available fixtures46 of 46

Goals / 900.04

Assists / 900.08

Goal contribution / 900.121

Defensive actions / 903.339

Player flow

Goal involvements3

Cards / 900.161

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~15), then tapers with age. At 35, James sits on 4.5, past its peak and easing. The blue line is James's projected Rating — 19.5 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among central midfielders in the Championship with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals1

Passing

Assists2

Defending

Tackles53

Interceptions23

Blocks7

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards4

Red cards0

Transfer history

€1.3M total transfer fees · 8 moves

Bristol CityJul 2021 – nowFree

Leicester(back from loan)Jul 2021 – Jul 2021

Coventry(on loan)Jan 2021 – Jul 2021

Leicester(back from loan)Jan 2021 – Jan 2021

Barnsley(on loan)Oct 2020 – Jan 2021

Leicester(back from loan)Jul 2017 – Oct 2020

Barnsley(on loan)Jan 2017 – Jul 2017

LeicesterJul 2012 – Jan 2017€ 1.3M

Manchester Uniteduntil Jul 2012

About M. James

Matthew Lee James is a 35-year-old central midfielder who plays for Wrexham, born on July 22, 1991 in Bacup, standing 181 cm tall. He is from England. Wrexham currently sit 15th of 24 in the Championship.

This season

In the current season, M. James has made 2 appearances with 0 goals and 0 assists across 87 minutes.

M. James's next match is on September 2, 2026, when Wrexham face Millwall away in the Championship.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates M. James at 19.5 with a Season form score of 25.5. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 7 career titles — among them the Premier League and the Championship. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 16 recorded seasons, M. James has totalled 391 club appearances with 17 goals and 9 assists for 8 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2020/21, with 38 appearances for Coventry.

M. James's career has also included time at Bristol City, Leicester, Coventry, Barnsley and Manchester United.

On the international stage, M. James has represented England U20 and England U19 — 7 caps in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.