Glyn James

Football player infobox2
playername = Glyn James


fullname = Edward Glyn James
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1941|12|17
cityofbirth = Llangollen
countryofbirth = Wales
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
height =
currentclub =
position = Defender (retired)
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1960-1975
clubs = Blackpool
caps(goals) = 399 (22)
manageryears =
managerclubs =
nationalyears = 1965-1971
nationalteam = Wales
nationalcaps(goals) = 009 0(0)

Edward Glyn James (commonly known as Glyn James) (born December 17 1941 in Llangollen, Denbighshire) is a Welsh former professional footballer. He played as a defender. He spent his entire professional career with Blackpool.

James also represented Wales on nine occasions.

Career

Domestic

Blackpool manager Ron Suart gave James his Blackpool debut as a deputy for Roy Gratrix on October 1, 1960, in a single-goal defeat at arch-rivals Preston North End in the West Lancashire derby. He made four more appearances in 1960–61 — two in the league and two 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 January 22, 1966. He also scored in the league, in a 4–1 defeat by Liverpool at Anfield on February 19.

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 February 24, 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 September 16, 1968; a 3–0 victory over Crystal Palace, also at home, on October 26; in a 1–1 draw at home to Middlesbrough on December 7; 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.

The subsequent 1970–71 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 January 18, 1975, in a single-goal victory over Fulham at Bloomfield Road.

International career

James won nine caps for Wales between 1965 and 1971.

ee also

*One-club man.

References

* [http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/blackpool/blackpool.htm Stats at Neil Brown's statistics site]
*cite book | first=Roy | last=Calley| coauthors= | title=Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887-1992 | publisher=Breedon Books Sport | location= | year=1992 | editor= | id=ISBN 1-873626-07-X