Lauren James was happy to be back on Sunday after a long-term injury, with brother Reece James also making his return to Chelsea in a positive weekend for the siblings.
The former played 45 minutes as Sonia Bompastor's team defeated Charlton Athletic 4-0 to reach the fifth round of the Women's FA Cup.
That came three months to the day after her most recent appearance for the Blues, having suffered a calf injury following a Women's Super League win at Arsenal in October.
Speaking on the club's website, James said: “It's great to be back, to be honest. I'm really happy that we got the win and happy that I came off the field healthy.
“I missed the feeling of being on the field. I'm happy that I was able to play again and now I can continue. Hopefully I can contribute even more to the team.”
“After a long break you never know what can happen, so it's good for us to start the year with a win. Hopefully we can build on that and everyone stays upbeat.”
Her return to action came 24 hours after older brother Reece also played 45 minutes as captain of the men's side, which defeated Morecambe 5-0 in the third round of the FA Cup.
Nice to have you back, Reece. #CFC | #EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/KbPhOhmosQ
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 11, 2025
He missed much of last season due to a series of hamstring injuries and was limited to just four Premier League appearances, totaling 241 minutes in 2024/25.
Lauren James hopes both players have put their injury problems in the rear-view mirror, saying: “Both siblings back!
“Hopefully it stays that way. We just have to keep working hard and helping our teams.”
Comments