David James Bio Send To Friend  

David James moved to Portsmouth in August 2006 for £1.2million from Manchester City, signing a two-year deal. He quickly established himself by keeping clean sheets in his first five games at the club.

Critics felt his best days were behind him when James joined from Manchester City, but the 2006/07 season proved to be one of his best yet, with manager Harry Redknapp lauding him as 'by far the best keeper I've worked with'.

One of the most experience players in the Premier League in April 2007, James kept his 142nd Premier League clean sheet in the 0-0 draw with Aston Villa, breaking the record previously held by David Seaman.

In 2008 James joined Gary Speed and Ryan Giggs as only the third player to notch over 500 Premier League appearances and as such has made more league appearances than any other keeper since the Premier League's formation in 1992.

The 2007/08 season started well for James as he signed a signed a one-year contract extension keeping him at Fratton Park 2009, and it finished even better as James put two FA Cup final defeats behind him as Pompey beat Cardiff 1-0 at Wembley to lift the famous old trophy.

He was arguably the best goalkeeper in the Premiership in 2006/07 and 2007/08, proving that despite veteran status he remains one of the best keepers England has produced.

James became known as a keeper of great promise when he burst onto the scene at Vicarage Road, Watford. But he 'earned' the tag 'Calamity James' following a series of errors after moving to Liverpool in 1992 for £1million.

Although and not afraid to come out for crosses this can sometimes backfire with ill-judged forays leaving him stranded out of his goal, but at his best he is a commanding presence and is one of the very best shot-stoppers in the game.

He left Liverpool bound for Aston Villa in a £1.7million deal in the summer of 1999 after making 279 appearances for the Reds. Unfortunately he will probably be best remembered by Villa fans for the error at Wembley that gifted Chelsea the 1999/2000 FA Cup.

James signed for Glenn Roeder's West Ham for £3.5million in July 2001, however he picked up a serious knee injury while playing for England against Holland in August 2001 and was out of the game for four months.

James established himself as England's number one in the 2003/04 season with the then England coach Sven Goran Eriksson still considered him as his first choice despite West Ham's relegation from the top flight.

James returned to the Premier League when the transfer window opened in January 2004, signing a two-and-a-half-year deal with Manchester City for a fee believed to be in the region of £2million.

He had a tough time as City battled against relegation, but remained England's number one for Euro 2004, playing in all their matches.

By the 2006 World Cup James was second-choice behind Paul Robinson's and after being excluded from Steve McClaren's first post-World Cup squad his international looked over.

But with the arrival of Fabio Capello came a recall to the England scene and James is once again England's first choice keeper.