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David James comes out of retirement age 53 to ‘score’ winning goal for Sunday League club

David James comes out of retirement age 53 to ‘score’ the winning goal for a title chasing Sunday League club AFC Hutwood.

The former England international, stunned players with a surprising appearance at Fleming Park in Eastleigh over the weekend.

Hutwood’s hopes of clinching the City of Southampton Sunday FL Division One title were kept alive thanks to their 2-1 win over Madeinheath United.

James played between the sticks and an outfield player, but is claiming that he scored the winning goal in the second half, even if the ball bounded off the opposition goalkeeper.

His decision to participate in the game came after he received an invitation via social media.

James explained in the video above: “I am here on an early Sunday morning to play for Hutwood, a grassroots team in the area.

“They have been magnificent with their Utilita Rebooted box – which is now full. The manager gave me a shout on social media asking if I would play for them and here I am.

“There is a chance that Hutwood could still win the league apparently, so there’s a winners medal in it.”

On the game itself, James said on BBC Radio Solent: “I kept asking the manager to take me off.

“Fortunately he didn’t as we got a free-kick which I smashed goal bound. It hit the post, then hit the goalkeeper and went in.”

James is an ambassador for energy company Utilita’s Football Rebooted initiative and was only too happy to help when Hutwood asked on social media if he was interested in getting some game time.

James, an ambassador for Utilita’s Football Rebooted initiative, gladly offered his assistance when Hutwood reached out on social media, expressing interest in receiving some playing time. The primary objective of this campaign is to supply football boots to individuals who are unable to afford them.

“The idea of the campaign is to keep boots in the community,” James added.

“We want people to have them that want to take part in football but maybe can’t afford them. The aim is for anyone to be able to play, not matter who you are.”

‘Football, Rebooted’ is a national environmental campaign that has been created to save at least one million pairs of football boots from landfill, by getting them onto the feet of players right across the United Kingdom.

The innovative campaign was co-created by David James, grassroots football communities, and Utilita Energy – the UK’s only energy company created to help households use less energy, to save the planet – and our pockets.

Every time a pair of football boots or trainers is made, around 30 lbs of carbon is generated, having a detrimental impact on the environment.

Football, Rebooted aims to rehome one million pairs of ‘pre-played’ football boots and AstroTurf trainers, saving families a fortune, as well as 136,000 tonnes of carbon – the same as taking 7,000 cars off the road for a year or turning the energy off in one million medium-sized houses for a week.*

Read more on this and how you can help by clicking HERE.

DAVID JAMES’ CAREER:

Youth career
1986–1988 – Watford

Senior career
1988–1992 – Watford – 98 games
1992–1999 – Liverpool – 277 games
1999–2001 – Aston Villa – 85 games
2001–2004 – West Ham United – 102 games
2004–2006 – Manchester City – 100 games
2006–2010 – Portsmouth – 158 games
2010–2012 – Bristol City – 84 games
2012–2013 – AFC Bournemouth – 19 games
2013 – ÍBV – 23 games
2014 – Kerala Blasters – 12 games
Total – 958 games

International career
1990–1992 – England U21 – 10 games
1997–2010 – England – 53 games

Managerial career
2014 – Kerala Blasters (player-manager) – 17 games
2017–2018 – Kerala Blasters – 24 games

Honours

Liverpool
Football League Cup: 1994–95

Portsmouth
FA Cup: 2007–08

AFC Bournemouth
Football League One runner-up: 2012–13

Individual
PFA Team of the Year: 1991–92 Second Division, 1995–96 Premier League, 2007–08 Premier League
Toulon Tournament Best Goalkeeper: 1991

Social media users reacted as David James comes out of retirement age 53 to ‘score’ the winning goal for a Sunday League club…

@CorporateAK: Well it was an own goal technically

@StuartHumphri10: He looks well and fit

@tclansee: @FootballCliches I think Stuart Pearce was onto something!

@djdannyp86: Stuart Pearce was decades ahead of his time.

James Brown: Well done that manager, did what Stuart Pearce couldn’t do. 👀

Billy Silva: Stuart Pearce was right after all.

Sam Venton: Gotta admire the love for sport tbf

James Hosie: This is awesome. I remember meeting DJ in the players bar at Shrewsbury Town in 1996 in the FA Cup. He’s a great bloke and I’m pleased he’s still getting out there and playing. 😃⚽

Robert Bauld: Good on him, playing the game for as long as he can 👏👏👏

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