 “The Welsh One” as his daughter affectionately calls him, Leighton James the “Welsh Wing Wizard”, born on the 16th February 1953 in Llwchwyr, Swansea. James who’s career spanned almost 20 years, and was a Welsh International for 12 of those years.
His career started at Burnley when the fresh faced James signed as an apprentice under the guidance of Harry Potts and Jimmy Adamson. “Taffy” made his debut at just 17 when he started the home league game against Nottingham Forest, a game the Clarets won 2-1, he would make a further 3 starts and one appearance from the bench in Burnley’s relegation season 1970/71.
With another youngster Steve Kindon who's injury plagued 1971/72 season allowed James not only to take the Left wing berth, but to take the No11 shirt he had almost called his own, Kindon would return to the first team wearing the No10 shirt. James started 36 League games that season scoring 8 goals.
The following season saw James an ever present as Burnley gained promotion to the First Division, James would be awarded the “Second Division Player of the Season” his 10 goals in 42 league games would be Burnley’s catalyst, winning the league by one point from QPR. James now the mainstay of Burnley’s First division assault would play all but 2 games o f Burnley’s first season back in the top league notching 7 goals, and now a regular in the international set up too.
James who actually won his first full cap before gaining his league debut at Burnley, would be the legend all the young claret fans would want to be in the playground. 1974/75 James would plunder his best goal return scoring 16 goals in another ever present season, although he had the task of taking penalties and scored with 7 spot kicks (a job what he would pass on to Peter Noble).
A disastrous season followed not only was “Taffy “sold to rivals Derby County, after James handed in a transfer request, one of the finest ever players to grace Turf Moor would leave and a scramble would follow to gain the Welsh Wizards signature. His 17 games and 3 goals was his departing gift as Burnley looked relegation in the face. His last game in this, his first spell everyone will want to forget, a 1-5 stuffing at the hands of Wolverhampton Wanderers at home.
(James reciving another Wales cap from Bob Lord)
Dave MacKay and Derby County won the race and a record transfer fee was Burnley’s price £310k and James was a Ram. He would come back and haunt Burnley with a goal in the 2-1 win at Turf Moor leaving Burnley in 21st place religation followed for Burnley.
During his time at Derby he would command the left wing berth under manager Dave MacKay his 15 goals in 68 appearances was a decent return in his first season, the 76/77 season would be catastrophic for MacKay, it took till the ninth game for Derby to record their first win a resounding 8-2 defeat of Tottenham Hotspur, Derby were in free fall, Dave MacKay leaving the Baseball ground, November and December saw James as the only Derby player to hit the net (a goal against Sunderland) in the seven games during that bleak spell. Leighton James only missed three games during the season, which even saw James notch a hat-trick in the thrashing of Finn Harps in the UEFA cup, but it wasn't a sucsesful season for the Rams.
Management changed again at the start of 77/78 and September saw new manager Tommy Docherty exchange James for Don Mason of QPR, "Taffy" was on his was to London and Queens Park Rangers, Steve Burtenshaw took James to Loftus Road, but James failed to help QPR to avoid relegation, he netted only 4 goals in his 28 games and was sold to Burnley at the start of the 1978/79 campaign (ironically Burtenshaw would be replaced in 1979 by Tommy Docherty, the man who sold James from Derby).
On James return to Turf Moor he played against Sheffield United in early September and continued to the end of the season wearing his No11 shirt, only 3 goals was a poor return under Harry Potts, as Burnley finished 13 in the Second Division.(On a brighter note Blackburn Rovers finished dead last and would play 3rd division football in 79/80).
He would be a winner on his return when Burnley won the Anglo-Scottish Cup final (James scoring the winner against Mansfield in the first leg of the semi final). Harry Potts would be replaced by Brian Miller just into the 79/80 season, and the trusted No11 shirt would be replaced by the No7 as James was used more centrally to try and avoid the drop, with only 6 wins in the entire season relegation was inevitable. James' contirbution was only 6 goals in his 39 games.
The Third Division beckoned for the first time in Burnley’s history and James was sold again. “Taffy” goingto his home town club, the only club he could call h ome apart from Burnley, at Swansea City he would be a revelation, taking Swansea from the Third to the First in his time there. John Toshack, who was an International team mate of James and knew how to get the best out of him, 27 goals in his 88 League games proved that.
(left ,James reciving the 1972/73 2nd Division Player of the season)
As Swansea made a bid for the First Division, for the first time in there history, Burnley meanwhile would struggle in the Third Division.
Sunderland would be the next port of call; the Roker Park Club would play James in the top division, a place where he belonged, he scored 4 goals in 52 appearances there.
Bury, and Newport were next for the ageing wing man 46 games under Martin Dobson at Bury scoring 5 times, and a meagre 28 games down in Wales with Newport scoring twice. Burnley were at this time in dire straights, down in the basement and with Brian Miller back in charge, made a call for this old boy with Claret and Blue blood (with a little Welsh Swansea in there too) to return and help, an offer James jumped at, he became Player/Coach at the cash strapped Lancashire Club. Instrumental in a season no one will forget, 42 games and top League goalscorer with 10 goals as Burnley not only avoided the drop, but saved the team from what would be oblivion.
He would be thanked but released from his playing contract at the end of the season, but was asked to don his boots again in 87 as Brian Miller used all his resources to never allow the 9th May 1987 to happen again, and once again James agreed.
It wasn’t long into the 87/88 season for James to be called on, injury to Peter Zelem and James would be handed the No5 shirt, our wing wizard at centre half? but it worked his fitness and international pedigree allowed him to take to this new task with ease, 19 games and a substitute appearence at Wembley against Wolves in the Sherpa Van Trophy, was his return for a season as bit part player.
He would become Youth team coach up until 1989 playing only when called upon, his last game would be the home defeat by now defunct Scarborough and his 19 year playing career had come to an end.
Bradford City was next on his ever growing list of former clubs, a coach down at Valley Parade, before a management offer came calling at Linconshire based, Gainsborough Trinity, but the travelling to and fro became to much for James, he left in 1994, to become manager of Morecambe on the 5th January 1994, His one success as manager was winning the Lancashire ATS Cup shortly before he was sacked by the board on 7th June 1994.
He returned to the Valleys to manage Llanelli a position he would fill twice, Garden Village would also hire James who would give more of his time to local teams.
He won 54 caps in the red of Wales and is still one of the most talked about wingers in the game.
James now who had worked as correspondent for BBC Wales, upset a few of his Welsh counterparts when as a true Swansea City fan urged Portsmouth to beat Cardiff in the FA Cup final, and was relived of his duties.On air discussions with Robbie Savage although hilarious, was another occasion where Leighton’s forthright views got him in trouble
His latest honour would be “The Rookie Lollipop Man of the Year 2007” where he puts more time back into his local community.
He now runs his local pub, Leighton James True Burnley Legend
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