David Benjamin James

Suddenly promoted to the first team at the start of 1990/91, after Mel Rees had kept goal in the pre-season friendlies, he excelled in a struggling team and was clearly destined for higher things. A giant, athletic frame enabled him to command the penalty area and his shot-stopping was often remarkable. David James had achieved success as a member of the Watford team that won the FA Youth Cup in 1988/89, and much later in his career became the fourth-oldest England player in history at senior level, being only five weeks short of his 40th birthday when capped for the 53rd time. By then he’d already set a world record by becoming the oldest player of any nation to make his World Cup finals début. Nearly all his club football was at Premier League level, and his goalkeeping reputation is one of a commanding presence and remarkable agility, fitness and endurance, but of a tendency to make his very occasional errors big ones. He waited more than two decades for his first Watford goal, which came when, playing against the club for Bristol City, he punched the ball into his own net. And the following campaign he participated in a promotion season for the only time in a Football League/Premier League career encompassing 22 winters.

West Herts / Watford Career