Glyn James
Encyclopedia
Edward Glyn James is a Welsh
former professional football
er. He played as a defender
. He spent his entire professional career with Blackpool
.
James also represented Wales
on nine occasions.
He was educated at Oswestry
Boys High School, where he played for the school team as well as turning out for Gobowen
Juniors and the Druids
club at Ruabon
.
by the former Wales international, Billy Matthews
, who was a Blackpool scout
. He joined the Seasiders as a trainee in December 1957 and signed as a professional in May 1959.
Blackpool manager Ron Suart
gave James his Blackpool debut on 28 September 1960, in a goalless draw at Leeds United in the League Cup
. He made four more appearances in 1960–61
— three in the League and one in the League Cup.
Over the next three seasons, James made only seventeen league appearances. In 1964–65
, however, Ron Suart gave him an extended run in the team. He made 35 league appearances, and appeared in Blackpool's one FA Cup
match and two League Cup encounters.
In 1965–66
, James scored his first goal — against Manchester City
in the FA Cup
third round on 22 January 1966. He also scored in the league, in a 4–1 defeat by Liverpool
at Anfield
on 19 February.
James made 34 league appearances during Blackpool's 1966–67
campaign, at the end of which they were relegated to Division Two
.
The following season, 1967–68
, under new manager Stan Mortensen
, James made another 34 league appearances. He scored two goals — firstly in a 1–1 league draw with Rotherham United
at Bloomfield Road
on 24 February 1968, and again two weeks later in a 2–2 draw at Plymouth Argyle
.
He was an ever-present during the 1968–69
league campaign, scoring four goals in his 42 appearances. The goals came in a 1–1 home draw with Preston North End on 16 September 1968; a 3–0 victory over Crystal Palace
, also at home, on 26 October; in a 1–1 draw at home to Middlesbrough
on 7 December; and in a 1–1 draw at home to Aston Villa
.
In 1969–70
(under another new manager, Les Shannon
), James scored two league goals (both in victories), helping Blackpool to a runners-up finishing place and promotion back to Division One
. He was named the club's Player of the Year for his efforts. The subsequent 1970–71
season was a disaster for Blackpool, however, and they were relegated whence they had come twelve months earlier.
Bob Stokoe
, who succeeded Les Shannon during the previous term, moved James to the forward line for the first third of the 1971–72
season. James scored six goals in those fifteen games (including four in the first two games), but a combination of the team's losing by single goals here and there and the arrival of Keith Dyson
, he was moved back into defence, and Blackpool went on to finish sixth. James scored a goal in Blackpool's 5–0 whitewash of Charlton Athletic
at Bloomfield Road on the final day of the season — a result that relegated the Londoners.
James complete his second ever-present season in 1973–74
, under new manager Harry Potts
.
In James' final season, 1974–75
, he made twelve league appearances, helping Blackpool to a top-ten finish for the fourth consecutive season. His final appearance occurred on 18 January 1975, in a single-goal victory over Fulham
at Bloomfield Road.
in April 2006. Organised by the Blackpool Supporters Association, Blackpool fans around the world voted on their all-time heroes. Five players from each decade are inducted; James is in the 1960s.
for Wales
between 1965 and 1971.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
former professional football
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. He played as a defender
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
. He spent his entire professional career with Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
.
James also represented 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...
on nine occasions.
Early life
James became a Welshman in unusual circumstances: his parents were both English and lived a few miles from the Welsh border but James was delivered in the nearest nursing home across the border in Llangollen.He was educated at Oswestry
Oswestry
Oswestry is a town and civil parish in Shropshire, England, close to the Welsh border. It is at the junction of the A5, A483, and A495 roads....
Boys High School, where he played for the school team as well as turning out for Gobowen
Gobowen
Gobowen is a large village in Shropshire, England, of population 3,927 .-History:The village was previously called Bryn-y-Castell, but the name in time changed to Gobowen. The name Gobowen is believed to originate from Gob and Owen who was believed to have rested his weary head there...
Juniors and the Druids
Druids F.C.
Ruabon Druids F.C. were a football club based in village of Ruabon near Wrexham. The club was founded in 1869 as Plasmadoc F.C. by David Thomson and his brother, George, of Ruabon...
club at Ruabon
Ruabon
Ruabon is a village and community in the county borough of Wrexham in Wales.More than 80% of the population of 2,400 were born in Wales with 13.6% speaking Welsh....
.
Club career
He was recommended to BlackpoolBlackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
by the former Wales international, Billy Matthews
Robert William Matthews
Robert William "Billy" Matthews played football as centre-half for Liverpool Football Club in the early 1920s and earned three caps for Wales...
, who was a Blackpool scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
. He joined the Seasiders as a trainee in December 1957 and signed as a professional in May 1959.
Blackpool manager Ron Suart
Ron Suart
Ronald Suart is an English former football player and manager.-Playing days:Suart was a full-back at Blackpool, playing alongside fellow defenders George Farrow and Harry Johnston in a team which also included Stanley Matthews and Stan Mortensen. Blackpool reached the 1948 FA Cup Final, but Suart...
gave James his Blackpool debut on 28 September 1960, in a goalless draw at Leeds United in the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
. He made four more appearances in 1960–61
Blackpool F.C. season 1960-61
The 1960-61 season was Blackpool F.C.s 54th season in the Football League. They competed in the 22-team Division One, then the top tier of English football, finishing twentieth....
— three in the League and one in the League Cup.
Over the next three seasons, James made only seventeen league appearances. In 1964–65
Blackpool F.C. season 1964-65
The 1964-65 season was Blackpool F.C.s 58th season in the Football League. They competed in the 22-team Division One, then the top tier of English football, finishing seventeenth....
, however, Ron Suart gave him an extended run in the team. He made 35 league appearances, and appeared in Blackpool's one FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
match and two League Cup encounters.
In 1965–66
Blackpool F.C. season 1965-66
The 1965-66 season was Blackpool F.C.s 59th season in the Football League. They competed in the 22-team Division One, then the top tier of English football, finishing thirteenth....
, James scored his first goal — against Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
third round on 22 January 1966. He also scored in the league, in a 4–1 defeat by Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
on 19 February.
James made 34 league appearances during Blackpool's 1966–67
Blackpool F.C. season 1966-67
The 1966-67 season was Blackpool F.C.s 60th season in the Football League. They competed in the 22-team Division One, then the top tier of English football, finishing bottom. As a result, they were relegated to Division Two....
campaign, at the end of which they were relegated to Division Two
Football 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...
.
The following season, 1967–68
Blackpool F.C. season 1967-68
The 1967-68 season was Blackpool F.C.s 61st season in the Football League. They competed in the 22-team Division Two, then the second tier of English football, finishing third....
, under new manager Stan Mortensen
Stan Mortensen
Stanley Harding "Stan" Mortensen was an English professional footballer, most famous for his part in the 1953 FA Cup Final , in which he became the only player ever to score a hat-trick in a Wembley FA Cup Final...
, James made another 34 league appearances. He scored two goals — firstly in a 1–1 league draw with Rotherham United
Rotherham United F.C.
Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...
at Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road is an all-seater football stadium in the English town of Blackpool, Lancashire. It has been the permanent home of Blackpool F.C. since 1901 and is named after the road on which the stadium's main entrance used to stand. The stadium has been in a process of redevelopment since 2000...
on 24 February 1968, and again two weeks later in a 2–2 draw at Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
.
He was an ever-present during the 1968–69
Blackpool F.C. season 1968-69
The 1968-69 season was Blackpool F.C.s 62nd season in the Football League. They competed in the 22-team Division Two, then the second tier of English football, finishing eighth....
league campaign, scoring four goals in his 42 appearances. The goals came in a 1–1 home draw with Preston North End on 16 September 1968; a 3–0 victory over Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
, also at home, on 26 October; in a 1–1 draw at home to Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
on 7 December; and in a 1–1 draw at home to Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
.
In 1969–70
Blackpool F.C. season 1969-70
The 1969-70 season was Blackpool F.C.s 63rd season in the Football League. They competed in the 22-team Division Two, then the second tier of English football, finishing second...
(under another new manager, Les Shannon
Les Shannon
Leslie "Les" Shannon was an English football player and manager.-Playing career:Shannon was born in Liverpool; a centre-forward, he started his playing career with his hometown club of Liverpool in November 1944...
), James scored two league goals (both in victories), helping Blackpool to a runners-up finishing place and promotion back to Division One
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....
. He was named the club's Player of the Year for his efforts. The subsequent 1970–71
Blackpool F.C. season 1970-71
The 1970–71 season was Blackpool F.C.s 64th season in the Football League. They competed in the 22-team Division One, then the top tier of English football, finishing bottom...
season was a disaster for Blackpool, however, and they were relegated whence they had come twelve months earlier.
Bob Stokoe
Bob Stokoe
Robert "Bob" Stokoe was an English footballer and manager who was able, almost uniquely, to transcend the traditional north-east rivalry between the region's footballing giants, Newcastle United and Sunderland....
, who succeeded Les Shannon during the previous term, moved James to the forward line for the first third of the 1971–72
Blackpool F.C. season 1971-72
The 1971-72 season was Blackpool F.C.s 65th season in the Football League. They competed in the 22-team Division Two, then the second tier of English football, finishing sixth....
season. James scored six goals in those fifteen games (including four in the first two games), but a combination of the team's losing by single goals here and there and the arrival of Keith Dyson
Keith Dyson
Keith Dyson is an English former professional football player. He played as a forward.Dyson began his career with Newcastle United in 1968. In three years at St James' Park, he made 76 league appearances and scored 22 goals....
, he was moved back into defence, and Blackpool went on to finish sixth. James scored a goal in Blackpool's 5–0 whitewash of Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
at Bloomfield Road on the final day of the season — a result that relegated the Londoners.
James complete his second ever-present season in 1973–74
Blackpool F.C. season 1973-74
The 1973-74 season was Blackpool F.C.s 67th season in the Football League. They competed in the 22-team Division Two, then the second tier of English football, finishing fifth.This was Harry Potts' first full season in charge....
, under new manager Harry Potts
Harry Potts
Harold "Harry" Potts was an English football player and manager.-Early life:Born in Hetton-le-Hole, County Durham, as was another well-known name in football, Bob Paisley. The duo spent much of their childhood playing various sports, but it was football that Potts loved most...
.
In James' final season, 1974–75
Blackpool F.C. season 1974-75
The 1974-75 season was Blackpool F.C.s 68th season in the Football League. They competed in the 22-team Division Two, then the second tier of English football, finishing seventh....
, he made twelve league appearances, helping Blackpool to a top-ten finish for the fourth consecutive season. His final appearance occurred on 18 January 1975, in a single-goal victory over Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
at Bloomfield Road.
Later career
Following his retirement from football, James set up a laundry and dry cleaning business and included his former club amongst his clientele.Blackpool F.C. Hall of Fame
James was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Bloomfield Road, when it was officially opened by former Blackpool player Jimmy ArmfieldJimmy Armfield
James Christopher "Jimmy" Armfield, CBE, DL is an English former professional football player and manager who currently works as a football pundit for BBC Radio Five Live. He played the whole of his Football League career at Blackpool, usually at right back...
in April 2006. Organised by the Blackpool Supporters Association, Blackpool fans around the world voted on their all-time heroes. Five players from each decade are inducted; James is in the 1960s.
International career
James won nine capsCap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
for 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...
between 1965 and 1971.