David James (footballer, born 1970)
David Benjamin James MBE (born 1 August 1970) is an English former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. His most recent position was manager at Kerala Blasters FC in the Indian Super League in 2018. He is also a pundit on Sky Sports football coverage.
|
James in 2009 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | David Benjamin James | ||
| Date of birth | 1 August 1970 | ||
| Place of birth | Welwyn Garden City, England | ||
| Height | 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1986–1988 | Watford | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1988–1992 | Watford | 89 | (0) |
| 1992–1999 | Liverpool | 214 | (0) |
| 1999–2001 | Aston Villa | 67 | (0) |
| 2001–2004 | West Ham United | 91 | (0) |
| 2004–2006 | Manchester City | 93 | (0) |
| 2006–2010 | Portsmouth | 134 | (0) |
| 2010–2012 | Bristol City | 81 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | AFC Bournemouth | 19 | (0) |
| 2013 | ÍBV | 17 | (0) |
| 2014 | Kerala Blasters | 12 | (0) |
| Total | 817 | (0) | |
| International career | |||
| 1990–1992 | England U21 | 10 | (0) |
| 1997–2010 | England | 53 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2014 | Kerala Blasters (player-manager) | ||
| 2017–2018 | Kerala Blasters | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
James is fifth on the list of all-time Premier League appearances, having played in 572 top-level matches, and held the Premier League record for most clean sheets with 169 until Petr Čech surpassed this record. He holds the record for most penalties saved in Premier League history (13).
He was capped 53 times by England between 1997 and 2010, and was first choice goalkeeper during the team's Euro 2004 and the 2010 World Cup campaigns. He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2012 Birthday Honours for services to football and charity.
Having started his career with Watford, James went on to feature in the Premier League for Liverpool, Aston Villa, West Ham United, Manchester City and Portsmouth. He gained a Football League Cup winner's medal with Liverpool in 1995, an FA Cup winner's medal with Portsmouth in 2008, as well as runners-up medals with Aston Villa in 2000, Liverpool in 1996 and Portsmouth in 2010. In 2010, at the age of 39, he became the oldest goalkeeper to appear in an FA Cup Final. James dropped down a division in 2010 to play for Bristol City and later played for League One side AFC Bournemouth. He joined Icelandic side ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar in 2013 in a joint playing and coaching capacity, before officially retiring.
In October 2013, James took up a coaching position at Luton Town, the club he has supported since his childhood. The following year, he became the marquee player and manager of the newly formed Kerala Blasters. He returned to the club in 2018, being dismissed in December following an 11-match winless run.