Leon James (footballer)
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 Sukhothai.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Leon Pitchaya James | ||
| Date of birth | 29 August 2001 | ||
| Place of birth | Coventry, England | ||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Sukhothai | ||
| Number | 6 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2007–2019 | Leicester City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019 | Ratchaburi Mitr Phol | 0 | (0) |
| 2020– | Sukhothai | 30 | (2) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2019 | Thailand U19 | 3 | (0) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18 September 2021 ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 30 March 2019 | |||
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.
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.
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
- 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 on Instagram
- Leon James at Soccerway