David James

At 53 years old, David James has this physical status:

David Benjamin James MBE (born 1 August 1970) is an English footballer who competed as a goalkeeper.

In 2018, he took over as the manager of Kerala Blasters FC in the Indian Super League.

He is also a pundit of BT Sport's football coverage. James is fourth on the list of all-time Premier League appearances, having played in 572 top-level matches and establishing the Premier League's all-time record for the first clean sheets with 169 until Petr Cech broke this record.

James was elected as a member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2012 Birthday Honours for services to football and charity. He began his playing days with Watford, Aston Villa, West Ham United, Manchester City, and Portsmouth.

He earned a Football League Cup winner's medal with Liverpool in 1995, an FA Cup champion's medal with Portsmouth in 2008, as well as runners-up medals with Aston Villa in 1996 and Portsmouth in 2010.

He was the first goalkeeper to play in an FA Cup Final at the age of 39.

In 2010, James dropped down a division to play for Bristol City and later played for Bournemouth, a League One team.

Before officially retiring, he joined Icelandic side BV Vestmannaeyjar in a joint playing and coaching role. James started teaching at Luton Town in October 2013, the club he has admired since his youth.

He made his debut as the head coach and marquee of the newly formed Kerala Blasters the following year. James was reinstated as the head coach of Kerala's affairs a day after the team fired Rene Meulensteen as their head coach after a string of poor results by the team on January 3, 2018.

Following an 11-match winless streak, James was fired in December 2018.

Personal life

James was born in Welwyn Garden City and attended the Sir Frederic Osborn School. He is of mixed Jamaican and English descent, and he spent a portion of his childhood in Jamaica. He has four children with his ex wife Tanya, who died in 2005, and he and his partner, Amanda Salmon, live in Chudleigh, Devon, as of June 2007.

James has developed a keen eye for modeling jobs, first with Giorgio Armani in 1995 and then with H&M in 2005.

James is known for his experiments with his hairstyle. Clark Kent, a fictional character who appeared on "backcombed efforts" and insulted him, among David Beckham and others, in May 2007.

During the 2003 offseason, James spent time at the Miami Dolphins' training camp, where he investigated their preparation and conditioning techniques.

During his early career, James was a 20-day smoker, having started the habit before being sidelined with injury at the age of 15 and then stopped for the new millennium. In 2008, he fronted an anti-smoking movement.

In 2005, James traveled to Malawi, South Africa, to help raise AIDS awareness. He then founded the David James Foundation in Malawi to assist maize farmers in Malawi in developing more effective production methods. In addition, the charity hopes to equip teenagers with the necessary skills to go out and work. James has also linked to West Exe Technology College, Exeter. Friends of Mulanje Orphans, a Malawian charity, has come to his attention here. The David James Foundation Scholarship at the University of Westminster, which funds a student from Malawi to study for a master's degree at Westminster, is funded by the Foundation. The Institute of Chemical Engineers has funded the charity (IChemE). James is also a world ambassador for the Special Olympics and works with Access Sport to provide sports coverage in impoverished areas of the United Kingdom.

James is a huge painter who has sold many of his paintings for charity.

In addition to being an art enthusiast, he writes a regular column for The Observer newspaper and donates his article fee to charity. He was also the illustrator on Harry's Magic Pockets: The Circus, written by his friend, Steve Pearson.

In May 2014, James was declared bankrupt. Despite earning more than £20 million from his football career, owning multiple houses, and implementing Armani's lucrative contract modeling, James' debts have increased since his wife, Tanya, divorced in 2005.

To pay the debts, James was able to sell hundreds of pieces of football memorabilia he had amassed during his career in November 2014. Including 150 signed shirts, shorts, and match balls, as well as his customised Vauxhall Astra van and Raleigh Chopper bikes, were among the items on display.

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Club career

Born in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, James grew up to love Luton Town. After leaving school, he was first recruited for the club's senior team in 1989. He helped Watford win the FA Youth Cup in his time as a youth player. Following Tony Coton's retirement in 1989, James made his league debut against Millwall on August 25, 1990, resulting in an England U21 call-up for a match against the Republic of Ireland. He has earned ten caps for the U21s.

James made 89 first-team appearances for Watford during the 1990–91 season, when he kept goal in all 46 Second Division games as Watford escaped relegation. On July 6, 1992, Liverpool signed him for £1.25 million. In 2008, James was inducted into the Watford Hall of Fame for his contributions to the club.

In a 0–1 league loss to Nottingham Forest on August 16, 1992, James made his Liverpool debut on August 16th. He was dropped in favour of veteran Bruce Grobbelaar in eleven matches in the first half of the 1993–94 season, but he was back in his starting lineup and kept his first clean sheet of the season in a 1–0 away win over Arsenal on January 31, 1993, which featured a penalty save from Paul Merson. He earned a runners-up medal in 1996 in the FA Cup while being on the losing team against Manchester United.

James came to prominence alongside Liverpool teammates Steve McManaman, Jamie Redknapp, and Robbie Fowler, who were dubbed the "Spice Boys" after those who suspected the Liverpool team of the 1990s were more concerned about partying than winning games. Calamity James was named after James' frequent blunders. He owed his string of failures to an overindulgence in playing computer games, which in turn affected his concentration. Despite winning the 1995 Football League Cup, James' continued position as a starter was put in jeopardy as a result of Brad Friedel's purchase. After 277 games for Liverpool, he was sold to Aston Villa for £1.8 million on June 23, 1999.

In a 1–0 away victory over Newcastle United in the first Premier League game, James made his Villa debut on August 7th and kept a clean sheet. He was instrumental in a penalty shootout against Bolton Wanderers in the 2000 FA Cup semi-finals, but Chelsea lost out on Chelsea's winning goal in the ensuing final, which was last to be held at Wembley Stadium.

After just two years and 85 appearances, James moved to West Ham United for £3.5 million on July 11, 2001, a four-year deal. However, a serious knee injury while on international service kept him out for many months.

In a 1–0 home loss to Tottenham Hotspur, James made his West Ham debut on November 24, 2001. West Ham were relegated to the First Division in 2002-2003. Before returning to the Premier League in 2003, James joined West Ham for an undisclosed fee as a replacement for David Seaman. In all West Ham tournaments, he appeared in 102 games.

In a 1-1 home draw with Blackburn Rovers on January 17, 2004, James made his Manchester City debut on January 17th. City won just four of the seventeen games that James started, two of which came after James saved penalties against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City. James said that learning about sport psychology enhanced his goalkeeper skills, particularly saving penalty kicks.

On the last day of the 2004-05 season, James was playing for City, who needed to defeat Middlesbrough to qualify for the UEFA Cup at the opposition's expense. With five minutes remaining, the score was 1–1. When City's boss Stuart Pearce replaced midfielder Claudio Reyna with replacement goalkeeper Nicky Weaver, James was unable to play in defense for the remainder of the game. Franck Queudrue, a Middlesbrough defender, flocked to a penalty by doing a cross directed at James that seemed to be aimed at James, and the bizarre tactic nearly paid off when the defender, who was recovering from injury, conceded a penalty. Robbie Fowler's penalty was saved by Middlesbrough goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, but Middlesbrough's goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer saved his life, and Middlesbrough, not City, was not eligible for the UEFA Cup.

James, who had separated from his wife, told her on ten August that he needed to leave Manchester City to be closer to his children, who lived in London. Manchester City learned that Portsmouth had accepted a bid. He joined Portsmouth for £1.2 million two days later, completing a two-year contract.

In his first five appearances for Portsmouth, James kept clean sheets. James maintained his 142nd Premier League clean sheet in a goalless draw with Aston Villa on April 22, breaking the record of 141 previously held by David Seaman. James was named Portsmouth's Player of the Year by the end of 2006-07 at the University of Portsmouth.

In comparison to conceding the most goals, James has made the most league appearances since the Premier League's inception fifteen years. He became the third player (after Gary Speed and Ryan Giggs) to reach the 500-match threshold on January 30, 2008, in a league match against Manchester United.

In May 2007, James signed a one-year deal, extending his stay at Fratton Park until the 2008-09 season. Portsmouth beat Cardiff City 1–0 in the 2008 FA Cup Final, with James winning his second major trophy of his career during the 2008 FA Cup Final. He made his 100th appearance for Portsmouth on November 8, 2008.

With 159 appearances in the Premier League from February 1994 to February 1998, and 166 between Manchester City and Portsmouth from 2006 to 2008, Chelsea's Frank Lampard and Tottenham Hotspur's Brad Friedel tied for second consecutive appearances.

In 2008, James was named as the Goalkeeper in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year, being one of only two players outside of the "Big 4" clubs to be announced.

James made his 536th Premier League appearance against Manchester City on February 14, 2009, beating Gary Speed's all-time record.

Times Online named James as the 15th best player in Portsmouth's history on April 22, 2009.

In the FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur, where Portsmouth defeated 2–0 in extra time, with James captained Portsmouth, who referred to the game as "superb." When Portsmouth was defeated 1–0 by double winners Chelsea, he captained the team in the final.

His contract came to an end during the 2009–10 season, and he expressed hope in replacing Avram Grant as Portsmouth's boss, but this came to nothing. The club offered him a new playing contract, but he turned down the opportunity after he failed to commit to the club; in the meanwhile, James left Portsmouth and became a free agent.

On July 30, 2010, James signed a one-year deal with Bristol City in the Championship, with the possibility of a second year. He expressed concern that his performances at the club would keep him on the radar for the England team, and that joining them motivated him to be closer to his family's home in Devon.

In a 3–0 loss to Millwall on August 7, James' first game in Bristol City. James signed a contract extension with the club on February 11, 2011, the eve of his 850th club appearance. In a game against Cardiff City in the Severnside derby in which he was made captain as a mark of respect on Sunday, James made 900 club appearances in a game against Cardiff City on March 10, 2012.

He was released by Bristol City on May 1, 2012, and began training with Exeter City in July 2012.

He arrived in Dean Court on September 27, 2012, to train with AFC Bournemouth, pledging a one-year contract to play for them the following day. Nevertheless, he didn't see out the deal and left the club by mutual consent in March 2013 after making 19 appearances.

In a joint player/coach role, James signed a deal with Icelandic club BV until the end of the 2013 season. He bonded with former Portsmouth teammate Hermann Hreirsson, the BV's boss. James was not being paid high salaries, according to the BV chairman, and he was primarily playing out of compassion and seeking coaching experience. The BV's arrival at BV attracted much more people than in previous years. BV finished the season in sixth place, while James announced his retirement from playing.

He was signed by Kerala Blasters FC, which is owned by Sachin Tendulkar, for the 2014 Indian Super League season as a player-manager. "I hope my participation in ISL will get off to a good start," he said. The team's first game, on October 13th, in which James appeared, resulted in a 1–0 loss at NorthEast United. His team eventually finished runners up in the inaugural ISL tournament by losing 1–0 to Atletico de Kolkata in the finals. At the end of the season, James resigned.

International career

In a friendly against Mexico on March 29, 1997, when he was an England under 21 appearance while in Watford, James made his complete debut for Glenn Hoddle's England. England beat Mexico 2–0, with goals from Teddy Sheringham and James' Liverpool teammate Robbie Fowler, who kept his first international clean sheet. Before missing the final cut, he was in the provisional 28-man squad for Euro 2000.

James is England's only black goalkeeper to play as a full international.

For the 2002 FIFA World Cup, James was chosen by Sven-Göran Eriksson for his 23-man team. As the veteran Arsenal goalkeeper appeared in all five of England's games, he was third choice behind David Seaman and Nigel Martyn.

David Seaman, England's regular keeper, was forced to play understudy for several years. When Seaman was suspended after making a mistake against FYR Macedonia in 2002, James became the new England number one. Even after West Ham's promotion to the First Division in 2003, he retained his place in the England team, becoming the youngest player from outside the top flight to win an England cap between 1999 (Michael Gray) and 2007 (David Nugent). At Euro 2004, he went on to compete in all of England's matches.

James was dropped from the starting XI, with Tottenham's Paul Robinson taking his place. James came on as a halftime replacement and conceded all four goals in the 4–1 loss at the hands of Denmark during a friendly on August 17th, their first defeat in 25 years. James Jones, who was still a member of the England squad, was chosen as the second-choice goalkeeper behind Robinson for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, though he did not participate.

James was dropped from the England squad early in Steve McClaren's tenure and was not called up during the 2006–07 season, alongside fellow veterans David Beckham and Sol Campbell. On August 22, 2007, he was called back for the friendly with Germany over a year since being omitted for the first time. As a replacement for Robinson, James appeared in the second half of England's 2–1 loss to Germany. In doing so, he became the first Portsmouth player to play for the senior England team since Mark Hateley in 1984. However, Scott Carson was selected ahead of both James and Robinson for the crucial Euro 2008 qualifier against Croatia on November 21. England lost the match 2-3, partly due to Carson's error, which gave Croatia the game's opening goal. Following England's inability to qualify for Euro 2008, McClaren was fired as England manager and Fabio Capello took over. Later, James was more critical of McClaren's treatment of England's goalkeepers.

Capello's first match in charge, a friendly against Switzerland, was selected goalkeeper for James on February 7, 2008. It was his first appearance for England since a friendly with Colombia in May 2005. Starting in each of Capello's first 13 games as coach, James firmly re-established himself as England's first choice goalkeeper. James's aspirations of retaining the No. soared as a result of his persistent injury over the next year. Capello said that he would only select players who were 100% fit for his team, and that he would not select one spot for the 2010 World Cup. After the World Cup qualifier against Ukraine on April 1, 2009, James did not begin a match for England until the final friendly against Japan on May 30.

Former England goalkeepers Gordon Banks and David Seaman backed James to regain the number one shirt ahead of the tournament.

James will be able to the World Cup Finals in South Africa on June 3, 2010, and the number 1 jersey will be given to him. He was the tournament's oldest footballer. James was not selected for the first game of the World Cup against the United States, but England's Robert Green was not included in the England goal. Clint Dempsey's mistake resulted in the game being called off, but Green made a mistake by allowing him to score an equalizer that resulted in the game being drawn. James was called back to the starting lineup in the upcoming game against Algeria on June 18, 2010, despite keeping a clean sheet against Algeria. At 39 years and 321 days old, James became the oldest World Cup debutant to do so. England beat Slovenia 1–0 to win and guarantee that they would reach the last 16, but the United States came in second in Group C after the United States. He kept another clean sheet five days later. Following a 4–1 loss to Germany, they were eliminated in the second round.

Coaching career

In 2012, James said that "I struggle with the racial issue in football because I don't see it," he said, not because I've got my head in the sand. Yes, in the early days, yes, but the game has changed...If you don't want to go to school, a [sic] moan about not having jobs is probably the reason why you haven't had a job.

During the 2013 season, James served as a player-coach for manager Hermann Hreirsson at BV in the Icelandic rvalsdeild karla.

Following his time with BV, James joined Luton Town in October 2013 in a coaching role in order to gain exposure toward a UEFA A-licence qualification.

In the Indian Super League 2014 season, James was the player-manager of Kerala Blasters FC. After a disappointing finish in the league stage in the fourth season, he took them to the ISL playoffs at a distinctly British identity, signing players such as Stephen Pearson and Michael Chopra. In the playoffs, extra time was required to see off Chennaiyin 4-3 on aggregate, with James and the Kerala Blasters advancing to the Indian Super League final but losing 1–0 to Atlético de Kolkata. At the end of his deal, James left the club.

Following a string of poor performances, James returned to the team's head coach a day after the club's dismissal of Rene Meulensteen on Monday. Mark Sifneos was released by Mark Sifneos and loaned Gujón Baldvinsson from Stjarnan, as well as a new Portsmouth teammate Hermann Hreirsson. Despite guiding the Blasters to 6th place in the 2017–18 Indian Super League season, missing out on the play-offs.

With a win over ATK 2–0 at Salt Lake Stadium, the club started the 2018-19 Indian Super League season. However, this was followed by an 11-match winless streak, which culminated in James' dismissal in December 2018.

James served as an assistant coach to Hermann Hreirsson of Iceland's dróttur Vogum for one game in July.

Media career

James Bacon appeared on BBC show "Shocking Moments" shortly before Euro 2012, just shy of finishing with him. He was also a pundit for the television broadcasting of Poland and Ukraine.

In 2013, James was one of BT Sport's first pundits. At the 2014 FIFA World Cup and India's Sony Ten at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, James served as a pundit for Eurosport and India's Sony Ten at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. On classical music radio station Scala Radio, James performed Football Scores with David James on June 6, 2021.

In 2019, James was a contestant on the seventeenth series of Strictly Come Dancing. He was partnered with Nadiya Bychkova and was the fourth celebrity to be banned after a dance-off with Mike Bushell and Katya Jones.

James has appeared on television game shows including Countdown (2016), Go 8 Bit (2016), Richard Osman's House of Games (2020) and Celebrity Catcher (2021). On Pointless Celebrities, he raised £1,250 for a homeless people's charity in March 2021. In 2022, James competed on Celebrity Mastermind, with his primary subject being artist Roy Lichtenstein.

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