Date / Year of birth: 1st August 1978

Position: Striker / Midfielder

Season of first appearance: 1999/00

Season of last appearance: 2010/11

Also played for: Maidstone United (0), Gillingham (2+14,0), Dover Athletic, Chesham United, Kingstonian, Gravesend & Northfleet, Welling United and Whitstable Town

5' 9" tall attacker born in Dartford who played for Gravesham at schoolboy level and then had a spell on Maidstone's books as a youth shortly before the club folded in August 1992.

James joined Gillingham for the 1993/94 campaign and during 1996/97 he was the youth team's leading goalscorer. He made his first team debut at the end of that season when he came on as a substitute in a 2-0 home win over Walsall on 29.4.97. Interestingly James replaced future Margate player Lenny Piper whilst future Margate great John Keister made a substitute appearance for Walsall. In July 1997 the Gills signed James as a professional and on 31.3.98 he played as they lost 1-0 at Margate in the semi-final of the Kent Senior Cup. He made his full debut for Gillingham in a League Cup tie against Southend at Priestfield on 18.8.98 and the match featured three players who later spent time at Margate - Barry Ashby and Paul Smith were in the Gills side and Adrian Clarke played for Southend.

In October 1999 James joined Margate on loan aged 21 and made his debut in a 4-1 win over Rothwell at Hartsdown Park on 23.10.99. The Thanet Times said he "looked a useful addition to the squad". In his next outing on 26.10.99 James scored as Margate drew 3-3 at Havant & Waterlooville and the Isle of Thanet Gazette felt that he "linked well with Phil Collins" up front. He played twice more in the number nine shirt but in the second of those games - a 2-0 defeat at Tamworth on 6.11.99 - James suffered a badly twisted ankle and had to go off. Manager Chris Kinnear told the Gazette "his ankle has ballooned, it's absolutely massive. He's gone back to Gillingham for the time being" and James didn't return to Hartsdown Park after that.

In August 2000 the Gills loaned James to Dover and he scored twice on his debut for them - a 4-0 home win over Hednesford on 19.8.00. He went on to make 13 appearances for Dover but didn't score again before returning to Priestfield in October 2000.

In January 2001 James was sent out on loan again, this time to Chesham. He scored once in nine appearances for the Isthmian League outfit before returning to Gillingham in April 2001.

At the end of the 2000/01 season James was released by the Gills having made a total of 16 sporadic first team appearances (14 as sub) without scoring.

He joined Kingstonian in June 2001 and went on to score six goals in 73 appearances for the club (12 as sub) before moving on to Gravesend & Northfleet in June 2003.

James left Gravesend at the end of the 2004/05 campaign and signed for Welling on a one-year contract. He made 35 appearances for the Wings and scored twice before rejoining Margate in May 2006. James had been offered a new contract at Park View Road but turned it down and Welling's assistant manager Phil Handford (a former Margate player) said "we're obviously disappointed to lose him because I know he was hungry to prove himself this season. He was very happy with Welling, but the bottom line is his wife is expecting a baby soon and the deal was way and above anything we could get near. We're not talking about missing out because of £10 or £20, we're talking about a couple of hundred pounds."

In June 2006 Margate's player-manager Robin Trott told the Isle of Thanet Gazette "I'm not saying James will score 25 goals next season but he should get 15 with support from the flanks and midfield, who will push on." James scored three times in Margate's pre-season friendlies and on the eve of the 2006/07 campaign Robin Trott told the Isle of Thanet Gazette "He likes to come short, bring the widemen into play and get himself in the box. Has a sweet right foot and works well with Danny (Hockton). I'd like to get more goals from him."

On 19.8.06 James made his first appearance for Margate since 6.11.99 in a 5-2 win at Worthing in the Isthmian League Premier Division and scored with from a free-kick that may have been intended as a cross. He then made it back-to-back goals by finding the net with what the Isle of Thanet Gazette called a "classy lob" in a 1-1 draw with East Thurrock at Hartsdown Park on 22.8.06. James kept up his impressive start by scoring in three consecutive matches from 28.8.06 to 5.9.06 inclusive. He began the run with what the Gazette called a "25-yard stunner" into the top corner in a 5-1 win at Folkestone on 28.8.06, an "absolute beauty" according to the paper, and James also struck in a 3-0 home win over Chelmsford on 2.9.06 and a 2-0 win at Walton & Hersham on 5.9.06.

After a run of six games without scoring James ended his barren run with a goal in a 2-1 win at Whitstable in the FA Cup on 30.9.06 and he was on target again as Margate lost 3-2 at Billericay on 17.10.06. After a 3-1 win at Wivenhoe in the FA Trophy on 21.10.06 James missed a match at Leyton on 28.10.06 and before that he'd started each of Margate's first 17 games wearing the number nine shirt. He only missed one other match all season.

On 11.11.06 James scored a fine goal in a 2-0 win over Hampton & Richmond at Hartsdown Park and the Thanet Times said he "rifled the ball home from the edge of the box". The paper then praised him for "working ridiculously hard to make himself available to team-mates" in a 4-1 home win over Harrow on 18.11.06 and described James as "a top player". On 21.11.06 he scored with a brilliant first-time volley from 20 yards out in a 3-1 win at Bromley and in its report on a 4-1 home win over Hendon on 16.12.06 the Thanet Times described James' work rate as "phenomenal".

As 2006 rolled into 2007 he endured a run of seven matches without scoring but when James got his tenth goal of the campaign in a 2-1 win over Worthing at Hartsdown Park on 13.1.07 it started a scoring spree. He then struck twice in a 3-0 win at East Thurrock on 23.1.07 before finding the net for a third game in a row in a 3-2 defeat at Hampton & Richmond on 27.1.07.

After another seven match barren spell James returned to the goal trail on 20.3.07 as Margate beat visitors Leyton 5-1 and on 31.3.07 he scored for the 15th time in a 3-0 home win over Walton & Hersham. James got one more goal - in a 3-1 win at Chelmsford on 14.4.07 - to finish with 16 from 48 appearances and he won the 'Players Player of the Year' award for the season.

In July 2007 James signed a new one-year contract and he scored four times in Margate's friendlies ahead of the 2007/08 campaign. A few days before the new season started Robin Trott spoke to the Isle of Thanet Gazette about James and said "He's carried on where he left off last season. He's got a great touch and awareness and his positioning is great. He's been more attack-minded with Danny Hockton going and works well in a pair."

James started 2007/08 in great form and on 25.8.07 he got his first two goals of the campaign in a 4-2 win over Wealdstone at Northwood in the Isthmian League Premier Division. The Thanet Times said he was "magnificent" and his second goal was a diving header. James also scored in his next outing as Margate beat Horsham 2-0 at Hartsdown Park on 27.8.07 and got his next goal in a 1-1 home draw with AFC Wimbledon on 25.9.07.

On 13.10.07 James scored twice in a 4-3 defeat at Hitchin in the FA Cup and his first goal was a superb header. He then scored a late equaliser from the penalty spot to earn Margate a 1-1 draw in an FA Trophy tie at Leamington on 3.11.07 before missing two matches with a twisted knee.

James returned to the side in a 4-3 defeat against Maidstone at Hartsdown Park on 17.11.07 and towards the end of November he embarked on a three match scoring spree. After scoring the only goal of the game at Billericay on 24.11.07 James then struck in a 2-1 home defeat against Boreham Wood on 27.11.07 before finding the net in a 2-1 win over AFC Hornchurch at Hartsdown Park on 1.12.07 to take his goal tally to ten for the season.

He enjoyed another run of back-to-back goals later in December 2007, scoring in three consecutive matches starting with a 4-1 home win over East Thurrock on 15.12.07. James then got Margate's goal in a 5-1 defeat at Chelmsford on 22.12.07 and finished his hot streak with a penalty to secure a 1-1 draw with Ramsgate at Hartsdown Park on Boxing Day.

At the start of 2008 James scored in consecutive games as Margate first beat visitors Ashford (Middlesex) 2-1 on 5.1.08 and then won 4-2 in a home game against Carshalton on 19.1.08. He matched that with the only goal of the game at Boreham Wood on 26.1.08 - a last-minute winner - followed by another strike in a 2-1 defeat against Hastings at Hartsdown Park on 2.2.08.

After James scored twice in a 3-1 home win over Staines on 16.2.08 Robin Trott told the Thanet Times "I'm pleased for Pinns. Danny Hockton was a big name here last year but Pinns has taken the responsibility for scoring goals in his stride. Last year he scored goals from outside the box but this year he's turned into a poacher as well."

On 1.3.08 James got his 20th goal of the season in a 2-1 win over Maidstone at Sittingbourne and he was also on target in a 3-3 home draw with Wealdstone on 22.3.08. At the end of March he embarked on another three game scoring run which started with Margate's goal in a 1-1 draw with Harlow at Hartsdown Park on 29.3.08. James then registered his first hat-trick for the club in a remarkable 5-4 home win over Heybridge on 5.4.08 to take his 2007/08 goal tally to 25 and the Thanet Times said he "worked exceptionally hard in the complete performance". His second goal was the pick of James' treble as he beat two defenders before curling a shot into the top corner with his left foot from the edge of the penalty area. He finished his latest scoring run with a brace in a 4-2 win at Leyton on 12.4.08 to make it six goals from three outings and Robin Trott told the Your Thanet newspaper "Pinns has been epic, he's becoming a legend, 27 goals is phenomenal really."

After a 5-4 home defeat against Folkestone on 19.4.08 James was announced as both the Supporters' and Players' 'Player of the Year' award winner for the season and on 26.4.08 he wore the number nine shirt as Margate won 1-0 at Harrow in the last Isthmian League game of the campaign. James finished the season as top scorer with a career-best 27 goals from 50 appearances (two as sub) but in May 2008 he signed for Maidstone along with team-mate Jay Saunders.

James scored ten goals from 35 Isthmian League Premier Division outings (two as sub) for the Stones during 2008/09 and also scored twice in cup games. He then managed nine goals from 28 league appearances during the 2009/10 campaign and again got two goals in cup competitions. On 26.12.09 he had a penalty saved by Matt Reed as Maidstone lost 1-0 to Margate at Ashford and if James had scored it would have leveled the scores.

At the start of March 2010 he rejoined Margate and James made the first appearance of his third spell with the club in a 3-0 home defeat against Waltham Abbey in the Isthmian League Premier Division on 6.3.10. He played as a striker and was a fixture in the side after that, always playing up front. On 23.3.10 James scored his first goal with what the Isle of Thanet Gazette described as a "cool finish" to earn Margate a 1-0 win at Dartford and on 30.3.10 he was on target again in a 2-1 win at Carshalton.

James got his third goal in a 1-1 draw with Bognor Regis at Hartsdown Park on 3.4.10 and in its report on a 1-0 home win over Hastings on 24.4.10 the Thanet Times described him as a "workaholic" and said James put in a "great shift". He finished the season having scored three times in 14 outings as Margate avoided relegation despite finishing in the drop zone.

A few days before the start of the 2010/11 campaign manager Iain O'Connell spoke about James to the Isle of Thanet Gazette and said "This bloke's too professional to take the mick out of ! He's a great pro and I want him to aim for 30 goals this season."

James made his first appearance of the new Isthmian League Premier Division campaign as Margate drew 2-2 with Canvey Island at Hartsdown Park on 21.8.10 and he then started each of the next eight games too. He opened his goalscoring account with the winner in a 1-0 triumph over visitors Wealdstone on 18.8.10 and James got his next goal in a 1-1 draw with Kingstonian in an FA Cup tie at Hartsdown Park on 25.9.10 but then only featured twice (once as sub) in Margate's next seven matches due to a groin problem.

After he'd worn the number ten shirt in a 0-0 draw at Concord Rangers on 26.10.10 James was a regular once again and the Isle of Thanet Gazette said he "produced the miss of the century" in the first half of a 2-0 home defeat against Bromley in the Kent Senior Cup on 2.11.10. The visitors keeper sliced an attempted clearance direct to James' feet around the penalty spot but he was taken by surprise and could only gently knock the ball straight back to the relieved custodian.

On 17.11.10 James ended a barren run in front of goal with a double strike in a 5-3 defeat at Croydon Athletic and he also scored twice in a 3-3 draw with Tooting & Mitcham at Hartsdown Park on 27.11.10. His second goal rescued a point for Margate deep into injury-time.

James was on target again in a 2-0 win over his old club Maidstone at Ashford on 3.1.11 and then got both goals as Margate beat visitors Hastings 2-0 on 22.1.11 with his second goal being a superb curling effort from the edge of the penalty area that beat former Margate keeper Scott Chalmers-Stevens.

James took his goal tally to ten in a 2-1 defeat at Bury on 15.3.11 and on 19.3.11 he was in joint charge of the Margate side that won 3-2 against Hendon at Wembley FC. James shared caretaker manager duties with Craig Cloke and Wayne Wilson following Iain O'Connell's departure but it was strictly a one-off.

After a 3-2 home defeat against Harrow on 2.4.11 he missed two matches due to injury but James returned to the starting line-up in a 3-0 defeat against visitors Lowestoft on 23.4.11. He then only featured as a substitute in Margate's last two matches of the 2010/11 campaign with his last outing from the bench coming in a 3-3 draw with Kingstonian at Hartsdown Park on 30.4.11. That turned out to be James' final game for the club and having scored ten times in 41 appearances (three as sub) he left Margate at the end of the season.

In June 2011 James went back to Maidstone for a third spell and Jay Saunders was the club's player-manager at the time. James scored twice from 16 Isthmian League Division 1 South outings (eight as sub) during the first half of the 2011/12 campaign and scored three goals in cup ties before moving on to Whitstable in January 2012.

He played regularly for the Oystermen during the remainder of 2011/12 and James scored once from 15 Division 1 South appearances (two as sub) with his goal coming in a 3-2 home win over Chipstead on 3.3.12. It turned out to be the final one of James' career as he retired at the end of the season aged 33.