Where Are They Now?                                   Profiles of ex-Luton players

Julian James

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Height: 5ft 10". Weight: 11st, 10lb. Born: Tring, 22.03.1970. Nationality: England. International Honours: England U-21, 2 caps.

After being spotted by Town coach John Moore playing local football with Tring Tornadoes, the fresh faced 18-year old defender signed professionally for the Hatters in the Summer of 1987.

Julian first made is debut in Luton colours when coming on as a substitute in a 1-1 home draw with Southampton towards the end of the 1987-88 season. James made a further two substitute appearances that season in which the Hatters won the League Cup with that 3-2 win against Arsenal.

His full debut was one to forget personally. The Hatters had just won 2-0 at Elland Road against Leeds in the League Cup when he was sent off midway into the second-half. James only made one other appearance during that 1988-89 season as the Hatters went to Wembley for the second consecutive season for the League Cup final, this time losing 3-1 to Nottingham Forest.

The following season, the young defender started 22 games and scored the first of his 14 goals for the Hatters in a 1-1 draw at Sheffield Wednesday. James was being tipped for big things and his performances in the First Division didn't go un-noticed as he made two U-21 caps for England.

Still only twenty, James was loaned out to Fourth Division Preston North End at the beginning of the 1990-91 season. Making six appearances at Deepdale and earning rave reviews, the defender returned to Kenilworth Road to make 25 appearances that season, lining up as a regular with fellow defender and skipper John Dreyer. James scored once that season with one of three goals in a 3-4 home reverse against Southampton.

The Hatters last season in the top flight before it became the Premier League saw Julian make 30 appearances, scoring two goals. His first was the winner in a 2-1 home victory over Nottingham Forest, and the second was a spectacular long range effort in the final game away to Notts County. Luton needed to win the game to survive and failed to win any of their previous away games that season. James's goal gave the Hatters a half-time advantage, but County came out in the second-half scoring twice through Rob Matthews who later went onto play for the Hatters, in what turned out to be a 2-1 defeat and consigned Luton to relegation.

James in action against WBA.

Luton's first season out of the top flight saw James make 44 appearances, missing only three games all season, and he managed to net two goals. As the Hatters started to struggle in the new Division One, James remained a central figure in the Hatters defence, and a season later James missed three games again and was ever-present in the team that made it through to Wembley in the 1994 FA Cup run.

A season later James was now not only a regular, but considered one of the older players, despite only being 24. Three goals in 46 games saw James miss only four league games all season.

In 1995-96 James suffered his second relegation. He found himself out of the starting eleven under new rookie boss Terry Westley and was on the verge of leaving Kenilworth Road. However, Westley departed after the 4-0 at Portsmouth and the Hatters appointed Lennie Lawrence as their new manager. James was back in the frame for a first-team place and Lawrence kept him in the team for 31 games that season.

James: A great servant.

Sadly relegation to Division Two marked ten years at the club and prior to the 1996-/97 season, Julian was awarded with a Testimonial, a game played at Kenilworth Road, with the Hatters running out 4-2 winners over West Ham United. Despite being a regular in the team, making a total of 56 appearances, it was not enough for Luton to bounce straight back up. Julian was sent off twice during the season, in a 0-2 home defeat by Millwall, and crucially, away to Crewe in the first leg of the play off semi-finals, which the Hatters went on to lose.

The following season saw the Hatters struggle in the lower reaches of Division Two. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the defenders last season with the club. After making 26 appearances, James suffered a broken leg in a 2-1 away defeat at Bristol Rovers, Barry Hayles diving in and breaking James' leg in two places.

Looking back at the injury sustained to James, we see that Julian had to give up professional football and Hayles is now living it up in the Premiership with Fulham.

Julian was a dedicated, loyal and hardworking player. After getting over his horror injury, he returned to make a comeback in football and after a brief spell with Aylesbury United, he returned to his home town to play for Tring Atheltic in the local Saturday league. 

Profile By:  Andrew Barringer