Leighton James facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Leighton James | ||
| Date of birth | 16 February 1953 | ||
| Place of birth | Loughor, Swansea, Wales | ||
| Date of death | 19 April 2024 (aged 71) | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||
| Playing position | 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) | |
| National team | |||
| 1971–1983 | Wales | 54 | (10) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 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 | ||
|
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Leighton James (born February 16, 1953 – died April 19, 2024) was a famous Welsh footballer. He was known for playing as a winger. This means he played on the side of the field, helping to attack and score goals.
Contents
Leighton James's Football Career
Leighton James started his football journey as a left winger. His first team was Burnley. He played his very first league game in November 1970. This match was against Nottingham Forest.
Playing for Wales
In 1971, Leighton James played his first international game. He represented Wales against Czechoslovakia. He played for Wales a total of 54 times. During these games, he scored 10 goals for his country.
Moving to New Teams
In 1975, Leighton James moved to Derby County. This was a big move, costing the club £310,000. Later, in 1977, he joined Queens Park Rangers. He played 28 league games for them and scored 4 goals.
In 1978, he went back to play for Burnley. After a while, he moved to Swansea City. He helped Swansea City move up from the third division to the first division. He also played for other teams like Sunderland, Bury, and Newport County.
Returning to Burnley
In 1986, Leighton James returned to Burnley for the third time. This time, he was a youth team manager. He also played occasionally. He stopped playing football in 1989.
Leighton James as a Manager
After his playing career, Leighton James became a football coach. He worked at Bradford City. In October 1993, he became the manager of Gainsborough Trinity.
Managing Different Clubs
He also managed Morecambe for five months. In October 1995, he took charge of Ilkeston Town. He won his first three games there. However, the team then went 20 games without a win. He left the club in February 1996.
On September 29, 1997, James became the manager of Accrington Stanley. He stayed there for five months. He later managed League of Wales club Llanelli twice. In 2001–02, he coached Garden Village. They won the Second Division championship title.
Later Managerial Roles
In December 2009, James was named manager of Welsh Football League Division One side Aberaman Athletic. In 2011, he became the Director of Football at Haverfordwest County. He resigned from this role after less than two months.
Life Outside Football
Leighton James was also a football expert for BBC radio and television. He had a regular show on Real Radio.
Community and Hobbies
In June 2007, he was named "Rookie Lollipop Man of the Year". This was for his work at Penyrheol Primary School. His nephew, Thomas James, attended this school.
Leighton James loved rugby too. He often talked about rugby on the Real Radio sports phone-in. He was a big fan of the Scarlets rugby team. He was also a good cricketer. People described him as a very skilled batsman.
Leighton James passed away on April 19, 2024, at the age of 71.
