James to Bristol City

[Barry the bird boggler]

It looks like a club showing ambition - and well done to SC - but is it really?

Bristol City capture England keeper David James

England goalkeeper James was linked with a move to Celtic
Bristol City have signed England goalkeeper David James following his release from Portsmouth.

James, who turns 40 next week and lives in Exeter, has signed a one-year deal at Ashton Gate, but has the option of staying with the club for another year.

"I've had offers to stay in the Premier League but it is more important that I play football for the right club and be a family man," said James.

He will be introduced to City fans at Saturday's friendly with Blackpool.

The former Liverpool man, who has played 53 times for his country, left Portsmouth on a free transfer this summer and had been linked with Fulham and Sunderland.

James, who played in three of England's matches in this summer's World Cup, pulled out of transfer talks with Scottish Premier League side Celtic on Monday.

He added: "I had a long conversation with the chairman, Steve Lansdown, yesterday and I liked what he said about the club and his ambition.

"I know all about the plans for a new stadium and desire to win promotion to the Premier League.

Lansdown added: "My ambition is for this football club to play at the highest level - the Premier League - and in the best surroundings, hence the work on the training ground and new stadium.

"We need good quality players to make that happen and that's why I'm thrilled that David has agreed to come on board."

Having started his career at Watford, he went on to make 216 league appearances for Liverpool in a seven-year stint at the club.

In 1999, James moved to Aston Villa before spells at West Ham, Manchester City and Portsmouth.

He arrived at Fratton Park in 2006 but was let go at the end of last season after 158 appearances and an FA Cup winners' medal in 2008, following their relegation to the Championship.

[havoc]

first with the news

[peeping bernal]

Best news all season so far, a really nice bloke who is not up his own ars* and will gift us the 6 points next year!
No shows that to him football and his family is more important than the cash and big time.

[Jerry St Clair]

No shows that to him football and his family is more important than the cash and big time.

Easy to say money doesn't matter when when you've been earning £20k+ a week for 20 years.

[Irvinchangeyaname]

Best news all season so far, a really nice bloke who is not up his own ars* and will gift us the 6 points next year!
No shows that to him football and his family is more important than the cash and big time.

I know he's getting on a bit but how many points have we actually got when he's been in goal? I'm thinking, if we manage to get 6 points against B.C. this season it won't be thanks to him.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

LOL @ Brizzle and cant believe Copps has signed him LOL thats brizzle and swansea out of the promotion picture

[Mr Optimist]

LOL @ Brizzle and cant believe Copps has signed him LOL thats brizzle and swansea out of the promotion picture

I'm not so sure. Reminds me a little bit of when Brian Clough bought Peter Shilton...

[Hoop Blah]

LOL @ Brizzle and cant believe Copps has signed him LOL thats brizzle and swansea out of the promotion picture

I'm not so sure. Reminds me a little bit of when Brian Clough bought Peter Shilton...

Eh? In what way?

Unless I'm being a bit thick Shilton was just about in his peak when he signed for Forest.

[Mr Optimist]

In that Bristol City, an unfashionable club have signed the current England first choice keeper, a keeper who is potentially likely to be worth 10 points to them next season. Shilton made the difference to Forest when they came up from the second and made people view the club and its potential differently in a stroke, think James even at the age of 40 could change perceptions and breed confidence in to the whole club that they mean business.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Shilton (> * about 1,000,000) James

[Royal Soupanoodle]

It looks like a club showing ambition - and well done to SC - but is it really?

Bristol City capture England keeper David James

England goalkeeper James was linked with a move to Celtic
Bristol City have signed England goalkeeper David James following his release from Portsmouth.

James, who turns 40 next week and lives in Exeter, has signed a one-year deal at Ashton Gate, but has the option of staying with the club for another year.

"I've had offers to stay in the Premier League but it is more important that I play football for the right club and be a family man," said James.

He will be introduced to City fans at Saturday's friendly with Blackpool.

The former Liverpool man, who has played 53 times for his country, left Portsmouth on a free transfer this summer and had been linked with Fulham and Sunderland.

James, who played in three of England's matches in this summer's World Cup, pulled out of transfer talks with Scottish Premier League side Celtic on Monday.

He added: "I had a long conversation with the chairman, Steve Lansdown, yesterday and I liked what he said about the club and his ambition.

"I know all about the plans for a new stadium and desire to win promotion to the Premier League.

Lansdown added: "My ambition is for this football club to play at the highest level - the Premier League - and in the best surroundings, hence the work on the training ground and new stadium.

"We need good quality players to make that happen and that's why I'm thrilled that David has agreed to come on board."

Having started his career at Watford, he went on to make 216 league appearances for Liverpool in a seven-year stint at the club.

In 1999, James moved to Aston Villa before spells at West Ham, Manchester City and Portsmouth.

He arrived at Fratton Park in 2006 but was let go at the end of last season after 158 appearances and an FA Cup winners' medal in 2008, following their relegation to the Championship.

I find it interesting for the lack of any comment by Sir Steve. Maybe i'm reading too much into it, but this seems like the chairman's signing rather than the manager's!

[Big Foot]

LOL @ Brizzle and cant believe Copps has signed him LOL thats brizzle and swansea out of the promotion picture

I'm not so sure. Reminds me a little bit of when Brian Clough bought Peter Shilton...

Or when Coppell turned to veterans for us...step forward Les Ferdinand & Martin Keown...

[TFF]

I find it interesting for the lack of any comment by Sir Steve. Maybe i'm reading too much into it, but this seems like the chairman's signing rather than the manager's!

I thought that.

Having said that, Coppell didn't go after any payers when he was with us (left it to McD) and if memory serves most of our "glad we got him" quotes were from JM/NH.

I think it's just that SSC isn't too bothered about the press.

[No Fixed Abode]

James > Federici

[paultheroyal]

Coppell signed Keown and Ferdinand, so its hardly a surprise he will go for someone like this to do a job for him. Of course its a Coppell signing.

[sandman]

LOL @ Brizzle and cant believe Copps has signed him LOL thats brizzle and swansea out of the promotion picture

I'm not so sure. Reminds me a little bit of when Brian Clough bought Peter Shilton...

Or when Coppell turned to veterans for us...step forward Les Ferdinand & Martin Keown...

And he learnt the hard way. I'm not convinced that it's a Coppell signing either tbh.

[Wycombe Royal]

Jason Roberts is being strongly linked now........

[TFF]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 885284.stm

Bristol City goalkeeper David James has revealed that when he first got a call from manager Steve Coppell he believed it was a joke.

"I thought someone was trying to pull my leg initially," he told BBC Bristol.

"I'd just had a stag do and it was 10 o'clock in the morning and I was certainly worse for wear."

And the England international admitted that had he got the call from any other Championship manager he would have completely dismissed it.

There you go then

[anR]

I saw an interview with David James on the BBC site. They asked him what he thought of the Portsmouth saga. He then started listing letters, before muttering something about an anagram whilst laughing. Anyone know what he was referring to?

[NR_Royal]

I saw an interview with David James on the BBC site. They asked him what he thought of the Portsmouth saga. He then started listing letters, before muttering something about an anagram whilst laughing. Anyone know what he was referring to?

I think he's after SSDD: Same shit, different day.