A strongly built striker who notched regularly for the youth sides at Spurs, but did not make it beyond the reserves before leaving to find regular first team football.
At school, James shone and played for Enfield Schools, the Middlesex Boys County side and England Schoolboys, as well as England Under-16s.
His strength was an asset, but lacking a little pace might have held him back, determining that his future would be elsewhere. On leaving Spurs, James joined non-league Enfield (2000), where he enjoyed a good spell, before moving on to Borehamwood (2001-02), Enfield Town (2002-03), Bishop's Stortford (2004), King's Lynn, East Thurrock United (2006-07), Leyton and in 2007 Harlow Town.
James was released by Harlow in October 2010 and subsequently joined Grays Athletic.