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DOB: 08/01/1970
Height: 6 5
Position: Goalkeeper
Place of Birth: Welwyn Garden City
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England international goalkeeper David James will never forget his match-winning save for Aston Villa in the infamously replayed Worthington Cup quarter-final at Upton Park in January 2000 – the game having to be replayed after Manny Omoyinmi’s ineligible appearance in the first tie that Hammers won in a penalty shootout.
After bringing down Paolo Di Canio and conceding a penalty 10 minutes into extra-time of the replay, after the teams were deadlocked at 1-1 in normal time, James redeemed himself by sensationally saving the Italian’s spot kick.
His save ensured Villa’s passage to a semi-final showdown with Leicester City and broke Hammers’ hearts.
James burst back onto the international scene last year when England’s caretaker manager Peter Taylor awarded him his second full cap in the friendly against Italy. He was unable to prevent Gattuso from scoring the only goal of the match in Rome, a long-range rocket, but after playing the full 90 minutes the keeper impressed sufficiently to retain his place in the team for new coach Sven-Goran Eriksson’s first match in charge.
James kept a clean sheet in the friendly against Spain at Villa Park before being replaced by
Nigel Martyn at half-time.
And James earned his fourth cap against Mexico at Derby in May when he came on for Leeds United keeper Martyn at half-time – along with Hammers’ England debutants Joe Cole and Michael Carrick – as England romped to a 4-0 victory.
Welwyn-born James began his career at his local club, Watford, in July 1988, making 98 appearances for the Hornets before moving to Liverpool for £1m in July 1992.
He spent the next seven years at Anfield, appearing in 277 League and Cup games.
In June 1999 James joined Aston Villa in a £1.7m deal and picked up an FA Cup loser’s medal at the end of his first season in the West Midlands.
But the first sign that James’ future at Villa would be short-term came when he asked for a transfer during last summer, only to withdraw it just three days later.
James made 85 League and Cup appearances for Aston Villa before becoming Glenn Roeder’s second signing,
(West Ham United) following the permanent capture of Sebastien Schemmel, on July 11.