CHELSEA star Reece James lifted the lid on his recent injury hell by sharing an emotional diary entry detailing the "s**t times" he's dealt with this season.
James was sidelined for large chunks of the season as he managed just 24 appearances across all competitions.
The full-back's troubles started in October when he suffered a knee injury that ruled him out of of the 2022 World Cup.
The England international believed he regained full fitness in December and returned for a match against Bournemouth but it proved to be premature and ended up being sidelined until February.
Just when the 23-year-old thought he was finally cleared, he sustained a hamstring injury in April and was ruled out for the rest of the Blues' disastrous season.
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The defender shared an extract of his diary on Instagram in which he outlined the trials and tribulations he dealt with.
However, the Chelsea academy graduate saw the positives as his struggles made him stronger.
James wrote on his diary: "Injuries affect me so much. When I'm not playing, I feel like the world's against me. The smallest of things will send me wild. It ain't right or normal but it is what it is.
"I try so hard but mentally it's tough, super tough, and draining. The outside world think this "football life" is the perfect life, well let me tell you it's far from that. Many people won't ever know what it's like but it's a crazy journey, full of highs and lows.
"Where do I sit in that (at the moment), currently the lowest of my lows in my career so far. It's s**t but with hard work and patience things improve, without rain nothing grows!
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"Recently I've tried many things to take my mind off football and injuries and how the season's gone. I started to box which I really enjoy and also tennis I thoroughly enjoy too.
"These are places my mind thinks of nothing else which helps me day to day. One thing I will say is with s**t times comes big lessons.
"I've learnt so much as a person. I'm grateful for what I've learnt because this will be used when I'm in a s**t moment again. Cream always rises to the TOP! I'll be back. The greatest never fold."
James ended his entry with a fragment from The Bible, which read: 'John 13:7: You may not know now but later you'll understand."
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