Elder brother of Dave, the first of the brothers to join the club, playing for the third team in February 1898 while a member of the Pelham club. Played regularly for the third and reserve teams over the following two seasons, occasionally alongside rising star Dave, before returning to Pelham for the 1900/01 season. Also a regular with the unconnected Wimbledon Wednesday team, James stepped in to play in goal for Wimbledon in a friendly at the start of the 1905/06 season when several of the selected team were unavailable, a match in which his brothers Fred and Dave also played.