My niece living in Perth WA has been researching our family roots. She found the man in the photograph, William Ebsworth James, was an older cousin of my father. The research has shown he played football for Middlesbrough from 1910 to 1913, during which time he made 29 appearances. After WW1 he resumed his career with West Ham Utd until 1922, where he played 57 games for that club. Having enjoyed playing football myself in my younger days, I am hoping we can find out more details of William and his career in the game.
Image and details courtesy of John Robson.
This might be of interest http://vintagefootballers.com/product/james-billy-image-1-portsmouth-1920/ There is a second team image with him featured, in the 1919-20 Southern League Championship team.
Thank you James Cotton for this link, it is of great interest to me because of family connections.
Born in 1892, died 1960
His football career began with Eston United in 1909, signing for Middlesbrough the following year.
He left Boro signing for Portsmouth on May 26th 1913 Played for Leeds City as a war guest signing for City in November 1916. I have a newspaper image of the player lifted from the Athletic News of December 29th 1913. I will download the image on my Facebook page.
Middlesbrough Football Club – my team, your team.
This segment was taken from the Complete Record book of Leeds United
There is some doubt about exactly which James it was who played for Leeds City in November 1916, but it is widely thought that it was Middlesbrough winger Billy.
Billy James began his playing days in his native North East with the noted junior club Eston United. He joined First Division Middlesbrough as an 18-year-old in 1910, playing intermittently for Boro and scoring a handful of goals before the outbreak of the First World War.
James transferred his allegiances to Portsmouth during the conflict, after Middlesbrough closed down operations for the duration.
With left winger Tommy Mayson injured, Leeds City asked James to play for them at home to Nottingham Forest on 11 November 1916. With the game 1-1 at the interval, James came into his own in the second period, as reported by the Yorkshire Post: “The City showed huge improvement in the second half, and one particularly fine rally of their forwards ended in James just missing with a shot from the wing. James continued to be much in evidence, and Lawrenson needed to show exceptional ability in clearing two of his centres. The City attacked persistently, though with a noticeable lack of finish and with a degree of over eagerness which caused Price in particular to miss two chances. Many corners were blocked and well cleared, but finally it was a corner taken by J Stephenson which gave the home side the lead. The player put in a beautiful flag kick which placed the ball for Sherwin to head it direct into the corner of the net. This happened ten minutes from the finish, and in the last minute C Stephenson added another goal from a centre by James, making the result Leeds City 3 Nottingham Forest 1.”
In contrast, the Leeds Mercury’s JRB claimed that James “was hardly at home”, and he never appeared again for the Peacocks.
After the resumption of peacetime football, James came to prominence with Portsmouth in the Third Division, scoring three times in 22 League appearances before signing for West Ham in 1920. He spent two years in Second Division football before fading out of the top class game.
James died in 1960.
William E James’s Middlesbrough F.C. career was 1911-13, he played 27 games & scored 9 goals.
Hello, all… this W E James is, indeed William Ebsworth James. He did indeed, leave MFC for Portsmouth and West Ham United was a later club. I am in the throes of researching the lesser known players of MFC through the British Newspaper Archive website. I shall update the website with any further information I can find.
Just a brief note… Billy signed for West Ham United in 1920.
Thank you Harry for the detailed information you have posted regarding W E James. It was only in recent years I found out his connection to my family, being cousin to my father. I hope to find your Facebook page to view the newspaper image you speak of. Thank you once again.
I now know that William and his younger sister, Gladys, were born in Salford. Sadly they were both orphaned causing my great grandparents to bring them over to Stockton to live with the family. At that time they lived at 20 Elliott Street, Portrack, confirming that my own personal paternal and maternal family roots involve both Elliott and Joseph Street in Portrack. Via the 11v11.com website I have now found many of the games William James played in for both Middlesbrough and West Ham.
Just to confuse matters: Harry Glasper’s book – Middlesbrough a Complete Record – has a W E James joining the Boro in March 1911 and leaving for Portsmouth in the 1912-13 season
Played the last 7 games of 1910-11 season at no 9 (1 goal): 19 games in 1910-11 season, 16 at no 9, I at no 10, 2 at no 11 (8 goals) in 1911-12; either injured or out of favour in 1912-13, only 2 games, I in Feb and 1 in April