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Alex James (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Alexander Wilson James was a Scottish football
er, and is most noted for his success with Arsenal
, where he is regarded as one of the club's greatest players of all time. James played as an inside forward, as a supporting player for the main strikers. He was famed for the excellent quality of his passing and supreme ball control, leading many modern-day comparisons with Arsenal forward Dennis Bergkamp
. His rheumatism
meant he wore "baggy" shorts to hide the long johns he wore to keep warm; the baggy appearance became his trademark.
, Lanarkshire
and brought up in nearby Bellshill
where he was a boyhood friend of Hughie Gallacher
. James started his career with local youth clubs.
in 1922. He spent three seasons at Starks Park, recording nearly a hundred League appearances, before moving to Preston North End
for £3,000 in 1925.
side, scoring 55 goals in 157 appearance; however towards the end of his stay there he fell into several disputes with the club's management, partly over wages – at the time, the Football League
operated a maximum wage
of £8 a week – and also because Preston refused to release James for international duty with Scotland
.
's Arsenal
in 1929 for £8,750, making his debut against Leeds United on 31 August 1929. In order to circumvent the maximum wage rules, Arsenal arranged it so that his employment at the club was supplemented by a £250-a-year "sports demonstrator" job at Selfridges
, the London department store
. James had an unremarkable first season at Arsenal, in part due to the recovery from injuries he had accrued playing in the Second Division; however, he played in Arsenal's 1930 FA Cup Final win against Huddersfield Town
, scoring the first in a 2-0 win to give Arsenal their first major trophy.
Over time he settled into his role and became part of the dominant side of English football in 1930s. Playing so deep as a supporting player, he scored relatively few goals for Arsenal – only 27 in 261 appearances – but created many times that number. James's passing and vision supplied the ammunition that David Jack
, Cliff Bastin
, Ted Drake
and Jack Lambert
all put into the net.
James helped Arsenal to their first ever First Division Championship
win in 1930-31
, but was injured during the title race in 1931-32
; without him, Arsenal finished second behind Everton and lost the 1932 FA Cup Final against Newcastle United
. James had been passed fit before injuring himself in a pre-match photocall for the press. Without him, Arsenal lost 2-1, albeit thanks to a highly controversial goal from Newcastle's Jack Allen.
He recovered to help Arsenal to a second title in 1932-33
, as Arsenal scored a club record 118 goals in the League that season. Another spate of injuries marred James's 1933-34
, as Arsenal retained their title but scoring far fewer (75) goals in the process, but with James recovered they won a fourth, and their third in a row in 1934-35
in style, with Ted Drake scoring 42 league goals that season, many of them supplied by James. The following season he won a second FA Cup winners' medal, captaining the Arsenal team to their 1-0 win over Sheffield United
.
, partly due to Preston's reluctance to release him for international matches. He made his international debut on 31 October 1925 against Wales
, which Scotland won 3-0, and his short international career included an appearance for the legendary "Wembley Wizards
" team that thrashed England
5-1 at Wembley
in 1928, with James scoring twice. The Wembley Wizards game is one of six where James and Hughie Gallacher were both selected to play - Scotland won all six. All four of James' international goals came when we was playing alongside Gallacher.
Alex was survived by his wife and three children. The youngest, Andrew born in 1941, is still alive and living in Sydney Australia. He has two children and four grandchildren all with sporting talent.
he served in the Royal Artillery
, and after the war he became a journalist
, as well as running a football pools
competition. In 1949 he was invited back to Arsenal to coach the club's youth sides, before his sudden death from cancer
four years later at the age of 51. James was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame
in 2005 in recognition of his contribution to the English game. He is also mentioned in the 1930s song "With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
".
In the summer of 1939, James went to Poland, invited by the Polish Football Association (PZPN). He spent there 6 weeks (30 June - 11 August 1939), helping the Polish coach Jozef Kaluza
and members of the national team, teaching them the modern tactics, also leading several training sessions. James also played in one or two friendly games of Warsaw's teams.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
er, and is most noted for his success with Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, where he is regarded as one of the club's greatest players of all time. James played as an inside forward, as a supporting player for the main strikers. He was famed for the excellent quality of his passing and supreme ball control, leading many modern-day comparisons with Arsenal forward Dennis Bergkamp
Dennis Bergkamp
Dennis Nicolaas Bergkamp , is a former Dutch professional footballer who is currently the assistant manager to Frank de Boer at Ajax. At club level he played for Ajax, Internazionale, and Arsenal, and also represented the Netherlands at international level...
. His rheumatism
Rheumatism
Rheumatism or rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the joints and connective tissue. The study of, and therapeutic interventions in, such disorders is called rheumatology.-Terminology:...
meant he wore "baggy" shorts to hide the long johns he wore to keep warm; the baggy appearance became his trademark.
Early years
Born in MossendMossend
Mossend is a town on the A775, in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, to the east of its larger sister town, Bellshill, and near to the Strathclyde Country Park....
, Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire or the County of Lanark ) is a Lieutenancy area, registration county and former local government county in the central Lowlands of Scotland...
and brought up in nearby Bellshill
Bellshill
Bellshill is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, 10 miles south east of Glasgow city centre and 37 miles west of Edinburgh. Other nearby towns are Motherwell , Hamilton and Coatbridge . Since 1996, it has been situated in the Greater Glasgow metropolitan area...
where he was a boyhood friend of Hughie Gallacher
Hughie Gallacher
Hugh Kilpatrick "Hughie" Gallacher was a Scottish football player in the 1920s and 1930s. In 624 senior games, Gallacher scored 463 times....
. James started his career with local youth clubs.
Raith Rovers
Alex James joined Raith RoversRaith Rovers F.C.
Raith Rovers Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Kirkcaldy, Fife. They are members of the Scottish Football League, currently playing in the First Division, having secured promotion from the Second Division as champions in 2009. Rovers have won one national trophy, the...
in 1922. He spent three seasons at Starks Park, recording nearly a hundred League appearances, before moving to Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
for £3,000 in 1925.
Preston North End
Alex James spent four years at the Second DivisionFootball League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
side, scoring 55 goals in 157 appearance; however towards the end of his stay there he fell into several disputes with the club's management, partly over wages – at the time, the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
operated a maximum wage
Maximum wage
A maximum wage, also often called a wage ceiling, is a legal limit on how much income an individual can earn. This is a related economic concept that is complementary to the minimum wage used currently by some states to enforce minimum earnings...
of £8 a week – and also because Preston refused to release James for international duty with Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
.
Arsenal
Alex James left Preston for Herbert ChapmanHerbert Chapman
Herbert Chapman was an English association football player and manager. Though he had an undistinguished playing career, he went on to become one of the most successful and influential managers in early 20th century English football, before his sudden death in 1934.As a player, Chapman played for...
's Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
in 1929 for £8,750, making his debut against Leeds United on 31 August 1929. In order to circumvent the maximum wage rules, Arsenal arranged it so that his employment at the club was supplemented by a £250-a-year "sports demonstrator" job at Selfridges
Selfridges
Selfridges, AKA Selfridges & Co, is a chain of high end department stores in the United Kingdom. It was founded by Harry Gordon Selfridge. The flagship store in London's Oxford Street is the second largest shop in the UK and was opened on 15 March 1909.More recently, three other stores have been...
, the London department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
. James had an unremarkable first season at Arsenal, in part due to the recovery from injuries he had accrued playing in the Second Division; however, he played in Arsenal's 1930 FA Cup Final win against Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
, scoring the first in a 2-0 win to give Arsenal their first major trophy.
Over time he settled into his role and became part of the dominant side of English football in 1930s. Playing so deep as a supporting player, he scored relatively few goals for Arsenal – only 27 in 261 appearances – but created many times that number. James's passing and vision supplied the ammunition that David Jack
David Jack
David Bone Nightingale Jack was an English footballer, the first player ever to score at Wembley, and the first footballer in the world to be transferred for more than £10,000...
, Cliff Bastin
Cliff Bastin
Clifford Sydney Bastin was an English football player.Born in Heavitree near Exeter, Bastin started his career at Exeter City, making his debut for the club in 1928, at the age of 16...
, Ted Drake
Ted Drake
Edward Joseph "Ted" Drake was an English football player and manager. As a player, he first played for Southampton but made his name playing for Arsenal in the 1930s, winning two league titles and an FA Cup, as well as five caps for England. He was also a cricketer, but only ever played sparingly...
and Jack Lambert
Jack Lambert (association footballer)
John "Jack" Lambert was an English footballer.A large and robust centre forward from Greasbrough near Rotherham, Yorkshire, Lambert was turned down by Sheffield Wednesday after a trial, so started his career playing for Rotherham County in 1922. He soon made a move to Leeds United, but spent three...
all put into the net.
James helped Arsenal to their first ever First Division Championship
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
win in 1930-31
1930-31 in English football
The 1930–31 season was the 56th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Of note this season was Manchester United's record of the worst start in a major European league – they lost their first twelve games of the season and went on to be relegated....
, but was injured during the title race in 1931-32
1931-32 in English football
The 1931–32 season was the 57th season of competitive football in England.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour...
; without him, Arsenal finished second behind Everton and lost the 1932 FA Cup Final against Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
. James had been passed fit before injuring himself in a pre-match photocall for the press. Without him, Arsenal lost 2-1, albeit thanks to a highly controversial goal from Newcastle's Jack Allen.
He recovered to help Arsenal to a second title in 1932-33
1932-33 in English football
The 1932–33 season was the 58th season of competitive football in England.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour...
, as Arsenal scored a club record 118 goals in the League that season. Another spate of injuries marred James's 1933-34
1933-34 in English football
The 1933–34 season was the 59th season of competitive football in England.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour...
, as Arsenal retained their title but scoring far fewer (75) goals in the process, but with James recovered they won a fourth, and their third in a row in 1934-35
1934-35 in English football
The 1934–35 season was the 60th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Arsenal become only the second team to win the League three consecutive times.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour...
in style, with Ted Drake scoring 42 league goals that season, many of them supplied by James. The following season he won a second FA Cup winners' medal, captaining the Arsenal team to their 1-0 win over Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
.
Scotland
Despite his form for his clubs, he won just eight caps for ScotlandScotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
, partly due to Preston's reluctance to release him for international matches. He made his international debut on 31 October 1925 against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
, which Scotland won 3-0, and his short international career included an appearance for the legendary "Wembley Wizards
Wembley Wizards
- Aftermath :When asked for his comment after the game, Alex James simply beamed a smile and said, “We could have had ten!”Back in Scotland the pubs did rather well and the newspapers were not slow in piling praise on the heads of those little no-hopers of the Scottish side...
" team that thrashed England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
5-1 at Wembley
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
in 1928, with James scoring twice. The Wembley Wizards game is one of six where James and Hughie Gallacher were both selected to play - Scotland won all six. All four of James' international goals came when we was playing alongside Gallacher.
Alex was survived by his wife and three children. The youngest, Andrew born in 1941, is still alive and living in Sydney Australia. He has two children and four grandchildren all with sporting talent.
Later years
With age and injuries taking their toll in the last two seasons of his career, Alex James retired from playing in the summer of 1937. During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he served in the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
, and after the war he became a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, as well as running a football pools
Football pools
A football pool, often collectively referred to as "the pools", is a betting pool based on predicting the outcome of top-level association football matches set to take place in the coming week. The pools are typically cheap to enter, with the potential to win huge money. Entries were traditionally...
competition. In 1949 he was invited back to Arsenal to coach the club's youth sides, before his sudden death from cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
four years later at the age of 51. James was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame
English Football Hall of Fame
The English Football Hall of Fame is housed at the National Football Museum, currently being relocated to Manchester, England. The Hall aims to celebrate and highlight the achievements of the all-time top English footballing talents, as well as non-English players and managers who have become...
in 2005 in recognition of his contribution to the English game. He is also mentioned in the 1930s song "With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm is a darkly humorous song, written in 1934 by R. P. Weston and Bert Lee, originally performed by Stanley Holloway...
".
In the summer of 1939, James went to Poland, invited by the Polish Football Association (PZPN). He spent there 6 weeks (30 June - 11 August 1939), helping the Polish coach Jozef Kaluza
Józef Kaluza
Józef Ignacy Kałuża was a Polish soccer player and later coach, was one of the legends of Polish sports....
and members of the national team, teaching them the modern tactics, also leading several training sessions. James also played in one or two friendly games of Warsaw's teams.