In-depth with AFC Wimbledon’s James Ball – ‘Frustrating’ first season, playing in defence and League Two hopes for the campaign

BY EDMUND BRACK
edmund@slpmedia.co.uk

James Ball always hoped heading into his second full season at AFC Wimbledon that he would be able to nail down a starting spot in the side after a stop-start first campaign.

But many Dons observers would not have expected the 28-year-old midfielder to stake a claim as one of the centre-backs in a three-man defence.

Ball, 28, has started in Wimbledon’s last four league outings in the back three with Joe Lewis, Ryan Johnson and Riley Harbottle recovering from separate injuries in recent weeks.

The former Solihull Moors man has been a revelation, helping the Dons keep two clean sheets and looking comfortable playing out from the back.

When asked if he had featured in defence before, Ball told the South London Press: “I did it when I was younger and previous managers knew that I had my football education there.

“I did it at Solihull and Rochdale. I’ve done it now for the last couple of games here. It’s not something really unusual to me. Being in the middle of a back three, you get a bit more time on the ball and you can be the one who starts the possession.”

Ball joined from National League side Rochdale as a free agent towards the end of the 2023 summer window.

He had to bide his time in an attempt to win a spot in the side, with captain Jake Reeves and the then-returning Armani Little – signed from Forest Green after a successful loan spell – commanding the starting roles in a two-man midfield.

“It was frustrating,” admitted Ball. “It wasn’t what I wanted. I signed just before the final pre-season game. It seemed already by then that the team was set.

“We started really well. I had to be patient.

“I got my chances, but it would be for Reevesy. It’s difficult to keep someone like that out of the team – he’s our captain and the manager has a lot of faith in him.

“I understood that it was my first season at the club and I had to build my way into the club.”

Ball’s longest consecutive run of starts in League Two stretched to just five games last season, but he has captained the Dons and netted his first goal already at the start of the new campaign.

He said: “I’ve had more opportunities. I’ve started the season reasonably well and I’ve played in a number of different positions.

“Every player enjoys that rush and adrenaline of having a game on a Saturday – it’s something I want a lot more of this year.

“To captain a club as big as this and as great as this is a real honour.

“To lead the boys out – especially in front of a packed-out Plough Lane – is something I’m really grateful for the manager for putting his trust in me to do.

“They’re a real easy bunch to captain – everyone is on the same page. We’re all trying to achieve something this season and  everyone is hungry for that.

“It’s a big and competitive squad – everybody should get their fair share of games this season.

“The difference to last year was the manager probably had an 11 which played most weeks. Now, there are 20 players fighting to play.”

The Dons are 12th heading into November and are 11 points off league leaders Port Vale after their 3-2 defeat at Darren Moore’s side on Saturday.

However, due to international call-ups and the River Wandle bursting and causing damage to the pitch, postponing Plough Lane games against Accrington and Crewe, they have three games in hand over most of the teams at the top of the table.

Ball said: “We all see our squad and see how we started the season as a chance to lay a bit of a marker down. We are here and we’re ready to push other teams as far as we can go.

“We weren’t far off last year, but there were probably two or three favourites to go up last year, and they were the ones that won promotion.

“It’s a lot more open this year. I couldn’t tell you who I think are favourites to go up. You get interesting results every week.

“We have games in hand. They’re good, but we have to win them. They don’t mean anything if we don’t.

“We have to come out with positive results in those games. They won’t define the season, but if we don’t win them all, it will keep us in a good spot.”

PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD