Wrexham’s January signing Zak Vyner reveals his former Bristol teammate Matty James played a part in his arrival at the Racecourse.
Recently, Wrexham fans saw club hero Elliot Lee back his comment with an impeccable Doncaster debut. While the fans would be delighted for Lee, they will not want to be caught in the crossfire between him and Phil Parkinson.
If Elliot Lee has been a chapter of Wrexham’s story, Parky has been the one to pen down the whole book. Choosing one over the other is irrational, considering the two might never be seen in the Wrexham camp together.
To Wrexham fans’ relief, this Lee-Parky saga is an exception among the other exceptional transfer receptions. The best example is Zak Vyner, as the centre-back stood as the Reds’ inaugural signing this January.
Notably, Vyner had been on Wrexham’s radar since last summer. While a move didn’t materialise back then, Vyner didn’t miss the opportunity to be a part of the Wrexham story when the Reds came looking this time.
Vyner’s excitement to join Wrexham primarily stems from his belief in the club’s ambitious project. However, the 28-year-old revealed the second biggest stakeholder that led him to join Wrexham after a long Bristol spell.
Recently, Vyner hailed Matty James as being responsible for convincing him of a Wrexham switch. Zak Vyner mentioned: “Yeah, I spoke to him(Matty James) a lot in the summer. Um, and he kind of gave me the lay of the land a little bit and spoke about the lads and spoke about the group and the club itself and you know it was reaffirming that this is the club for me to be at.”
Zak Vyner’s time with Matty James for Bristol City
Vyner’s claim reveals his long-held respect and affection for Matty James. Having been former teammates at Bristol, the duo shared 3 years in the Robins dugout before reuniting at Wrexham.
Interestingly, though Vyner holds the Championship record appearances for Bristol, Matty James held bigger authority back in his Bristol days. Arriving from a PL suit like Leicester, James was considered too good for the Championship level, and he proved his quality right away.
Despite just arriving ahead of the 21/22 season, James had become an undisputed starter for the Robins. This was quite the opposite of Vyner’s case, as the defender struggled to win over a starting spot that season.
READ MORE: ‘Now we see’ – Wrexham fans rally behind new signing Zak Vyner
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READ MORE: Wrexham made only one January transfer mistake (it can come to haunt later)
Come the next season, scenarios improved drastically for Zak Vyner. From not being a regular in the 21/22 season, he emerged as the Players’ Player of the Year for Bristol over star figures like Matty James.
Ultimately, Vyner and James’ shared Bristol time ended in the summer of 2024 after just 3 seasons played together. With the Robins choosing against renewing Matty James to make way for young leaders like Vyner, James later signed with Wrexham in late 2024.
Fast forward to now, and both Zak Vyner and Matty James are in the Wrexham camp. As Matty had helped Vyner emerge as a Bristol leader, the midfielder would be tasked with guiding the new joinee to become a Wrexham leader gradually.
Zak Vyner-Matty James duo could be crucial for Wrexham
The deadline-day addition of Davis Keillor-Dunn had fans buzzing for his reunion with Wrexham. However, the reunion of a proven Championship duo in Zak Vyner & Matty James remains far more unnoticed.
While Bristol’s subpar league finishes during Vyner and James’ shared spell doesn’t hint, the duo made one of the best defensive partnerships. It was for their collective effort that Bristol emerged as one of the most sound backlines with the 4th fewest goals conceded in the 23/24 season.
With Zak Vyner as the centre-back and Matty James in the defensive midfield role, this defensive duo has been proven for Bristol. Given James’ form after the recent contract renewal, pairing him with Vyner can solve Wrexham’s defensive vulnerabilities to a great extent.
Having played as an RB previously in his career, Vyner can help in nullifying Wrexham’s only transfer mistake to some extent. His versatility enables Phil Parkinson to fill in the full-back & midfield roles if needed.
The only downside is that Vyner’s inclusion in the backline comes at the cost of a proven starter in Max Cleworth or Callum Doyle. While a rotation policy or a switch to a back-four defence is an option, it remains to be seen how Parky manages Vyner’s game time.
READ MORE WREXHAM NEWS HERE:
- ‘Now we see’ – Wrexham fans rally behind new signing Zak Vyner
- ‘Got rid’ – Josh Windass sends hilarious welcome to £1m Wrexham signing
- Wrexham made only one January transfer mistake (it can come to haunt later)
- ‘Frustration’ – Elliot Lee backs his Phil Parkinson comments with strong debut
- Ryan Hardie turns down Plymouth Argyle and Bolton for League One rivals
