Leon James (footballer)

Leon James
	Leon James playing for Sukhothai
Personal information
Full name	Leon Pitchaya James
Date of birth	29 August 2001 (age 22)
Place of birth	Coventry, England
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Club information
Current team	Nongbua Pitchaya
Number	6
Youth career
2007–2019	Leicester City
Senior career*
Years	Team
2019–2020	Ratchaburi Mitr Phol
2020–2022	Sukhothai
2022–	Nongbua Pitchaya
National team‡
2019	Thailand U19
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 September 2020; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 30 March 2019

Leon Pitchaya James (Thai: ลีออน พิชญ เจมส์; born 29 August 2001) is a Thai professional footballer born and raised in England who plays as a midfielder for Thai League 1 club Nongbua Pitchaya.

James spent 12 years playing for Leicester City being the first ever Thailand national to sign a scholarship in England. He competed in various competitions, reaching the quarter finals of the FA Youth Cup, before deciding to part ways with Leicester City to move to Thailand to sign his first professional contract for Thai Premier League club Ratchaburi Mitr Phol. James made an appearance in the Chang FA Cup.

James signed his 2nd contract in Thailand for Sukhothai.

Club career

Leicester City

James joined the Leicester City academy at age six, and progressed through the various age groups for the following 11 seasons. In his final year with the club, his under-19 squad reached the quarterfinals of the 2018–19 FA Youth Cup.

Ratchaburi Mitr Phol

In December 2019, James completed a move to Ratchaburi Mitr Phol in the Thai League 1.

Sukhothai

On 4 December 2020, it was announced that James had joined club Sukhothai.

Nongbua Pitchaya

On 1 June 2022, it was announced that James had joined club Nongbua Pitchaya.^[1]

International career

In March 2019, James was called up to the Thailand U19 first time for VFF International Tournament. In October 2019, James was in the squad of Thailand U19 for GSB Bangkok Cup 2019, but did not make an appearance.

References

^ "ทางการ! ลีออน เจมส์ ลาสุโขทัยเปิดตัวร่วมทัพหนองบัวฯ". Siamsport. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2022.

ณัฐนันท์ จันทร์ขวาง. "บันทึก 11 ปีแข้งไทยในรัง เลสเตอร์ ซิตี้ และก้าวต่อไปของ "ลีออน เจมส์"". Main Stand (in Thai). Retrieved 14 April 2020.
บก.เก้น (20 September 2018). "TRUE TALK : เส้นทางที่ไม่ง่าย แต่สุดท้าทาย : "ลีออน เจมส์" วันเดอร์คิดไทยใน เลสเตอร์ ซิตี้". trueID (in Thai). Retrieved 14 April 2020.
"เปิดตัวตน "ลีออน เจมส์" กับภารกิจใหม่ในทัพช้างศึกยู-19". Thai Rath (in Thai). 15 March 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2020.

External links

Leon James at Soccerway

[1] "ทางการ! ลีออน เจมส์ ลาสุโขทัยเปิดตัวร่วมทัพหนองบัวฯ". Siamsport. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2022.

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