 James withWales | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1953-02-16)16 February 1953 | ||
| Place of birth | Loughor,Swansea, Wales | ||
| Date of death | 19 April 2024(2024-04-19) (aged 71) | ||
| Place of death | Cwmrhydyceirw, Wales | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1970–1975 | Burnley | 180 | (45) |
| 1975–1977 | Derby County | 68 | (15) |
| 1977–1978 | Queens Park Rangers | 28 | (4) |
| 1978–1980 | Burnley | 76 | (9) |
| 1980–1983 | Swansea City | 88 | (27) |
| 1983–1984 | Sunderland | 52 | (4) |
| 1984–1985 | Bury | 46 | (5) |
| 1985–1986 | Newport County | 28 | (2) |
| 1986–1989 | Burnley | 79 | (13) |
| Total | 645 | (124) | |
| International career | |||
| 1971–1983 | Wales | 54 | (10) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1993–1994 | Gainsborough Trinity | ||
| 1994 | Morecambe | ||
| 1994–1995 | Netherfield | ||
| 1995–1996 | Ilkeston Town | ||
| 1997–1998 | Accrington Stanley | ||
| 1998–2000 | Llanelli | ||
| 2001–2002 | Garden Village | ||
| 2002–2003 | Llanelli | ||
| 2009–2010 | Aberaman Athletic | ||
| 2011–2012 | Haverfordwest County | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Leighton James (16 February 1953 – 19 April 2024) was a Welsh professional footballer who played as awinger. He played almost 400 times forBurnley F.C. in three different spells at the club, being tenth on the club'smost appearance list.[2] He was widely regarded as one ofSwansea City's finest ever players and his goal for Swansea againstPreston North End in the final game of the season in 1981 helped Swansea get promoted to theFootball League First Division for the first time in their history.[3] In 1977, he scored a penalty forWales in a 1–0 win againstEngland, their only victory against England atWembley.[4][5][2]John Toshack described him as "one of the finest wingers that British football has ever produced and we were very very lucky at the fact he was a Welshman".[6]
James started his career as a left winger withBurnley, making hisFootball League debut in November 1970 againstNottingham Forest.[7]
In 1975, he signed forDerby County for a club-record fee of £300,000,[7] and in 1977 joinedQueens Park Rangers in exchange forDon Masson.[8] He made his debut againstWest Bromwich Albion in October 1977, and went on to play 33 games, scoring six goals.[8]In 1978, he returned to play with Burnley, but left in 1980 when they were relegated to theThird Division.[9]
ManagerJohn Toshack signed James forSwansea City for £130,000 in 1980, in a move to build a side capable of gaining promotion to theFirst Division after their rapid rise up the Football League. They won theSecond Division at the first attempt, with James scoring the first goal againstPreston North End in the last game of the season, securing the club's promotion.[10][11][2]
He later had spells withSunderland,Bury andNewport County, before he returned to Burnley for a third spell in 1986 as youth-team manager and occasional player. He retired from playing in 1989 after being sacked as youth-team manager.[7]
In 1971, he won his first international cap, aged 18, againstCzechoslovakia atLetenský Stadion inPrague in a 1–0 defeat.[12] His first international goal was in a 2–0 victory againstPoland atNinian Park in Cardiff in March 1973.[13] In May 1977, he scored the only goal of the game, a penalty, in a defeat ofEngland, in theBritish Home Championship atWembley, their only win against England in England.[5] He also captained the team, making his first appearance as captain againstIceland atVetch Field,Swansea, in October 1981.[12] He played 54 times forWales, scoring ten goals.[5]
James became a coach atBradford City, before succeedingGary Simpson as manager ofGainsborough Trinity in October 1993.[14] He was the manager atMorecambe, but was sacked after five months in charge. In October 1995, he was appointed manager ofSouthern League Premier Division sideIlkeston Town. After winning his first three matches in charge, the team then went twenty games without a victory, and James left the club in February 1996, to be replaced byKeith Alexander.[15] On 29 September 1997, James took over from Tony Greenwood as manager ofAccrington Stanley.[16] He spent five months in charge at theCrown Ground, before resigning in February 1998 due to other work commitments.[17]
James also had two spells in charge ofLeague of Wales clubLlanelli, but in his second spell, he oversaw the club's relegation in the 2002–03 season.[citation needed] In the 2001–02 season, he coachedGarden Village of theWelsh Football League to the Second Division championship title with a final-day victory atChepstow Town.[citation needed]
James worked as a football pundit forBBC radio and television, along with a regular programme onReal Radio. The BBC suspended James for a period due to controversial remarks made in a regular newspaper column regardingCardiff City.[18]
In December 2009, James was appointed manager ofWelsh Football League Division One sideAberaman Athletic.[19]
James was appointed Director of Football at Welsh Football League Division One sideHaverfordwest County in 2011,[20] but resigned after less than two months.[21]
In June 2007, theBBC reported that James was given a driving ban for driving while one-and-a-half times over the legal alcohol limit.[22]
James caused controversy in March 2008 by commenting in his column in theSouth Wales Evening Post that he would like Cardiff City to lose toBarnsley in the 2008FA Cup semi-final.[23] Although therivalry between the football clubs of Swansea City and Cardiff City is well documented, James' comments angered some[24] because of his supposed impartiality as a pundit, and also for his staunch attitude that Welsh people should support Welsh teams in whatever sport, an opinion he had discussed at length on radio phone-in programmes. As punishment for his comments, the BBC saw fit to ban James from appearing on their programmes for two weeks.[25] He returned on 26 April 2008 to theWales on Saturday programme.[citation needed]
James' comments about Cardiff City were the subject of the song "Leighton James Don't Like Us", recorded by Cardiff musician Leigh Bailey.[26]
Away from football, in June 2007, James was named RookieLollipop Man of the Year bySwansea Council for Penyrheol Primary School, which his nephew Thomas James went to.[27]
James was a rugby fan and often commented on rugby on the Real Radio sports phone-in. He was an avid supporter ofScarlets.[28] He also playedcricket and has been described as an extremely competent batsman.[29]
James died inCwmrhydyceirw on 19 April 2024, at the age of 71.[7][30]
