Leighton James
|
James with Wales | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 16 February 1953 | ||
| Place of birth | Loughor, Swansea, Wales | ||
| Date of death | 19 April 2024 (aged 71) | ||
| Place of death | Cwmrhydyceirw, Wales | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||
| 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 a winger. He played almost 400 times for Burnley F.C. in three different spells at the club, being tenth on the club's most appearance list. He was widely regarded as one of Swansea City's finest ever players and his goal for Swansea against Preston North End in the final game of the season in 1981 helped Swansea get promoted to the Football League First Division for the first time in their history. In 1977, he scored a penalty for Wales in a 1–0 win against England, their only victory against England at Wembley. 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".