James won 54 caps for Wales and scored 10 goals, including a penalty to secure victory over England at Wembley in 1977. He was a star of the only Wales team to top a qualifying group before going on to reach the quarter-finals of Euro 1976.
After retiring, he served the game for almost two decades as a manager, taking the reins at nine clubs in England and Wales. He also worked as a pundit and, in later life, as a lollipop man for a school in Swansea.
Originally from the Gorseinon area of Swansea, James was born in 1953. He would go on to represent his hometown club, the Swans, on 98 occasions, with 27 goals under his belt.
He went on to play with Bury, Newport County and had three spells at Burnley, but he will be known in Swansea, for the role he played as the club rose through the football league pyramid.
The Football Association of Wales posted on X: “It is with great sadness that we share the news that @Cymru international Leighton James has sadly passed away.”
Leading tribute for the gifted winger a statement from the Swans said:
“Swansea City is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Leighton James at the age of 71.
“The thoughts of everyone at Swansea City are with Leighton’s friends and family at this sad time.
“Swansea City will wear black armbands in Saturday’s Championship fixture against Huddersfield Town as a mark of respect.
“Swansea City Under-21s will also wear black armbands in their home match against Bristol City on Saturday.”
Widely-regarded as one of the Swans’ finest players, James would be a key figure in the side that secured the clubs first-ever promotion to the top-flight in 1981, scoring a crucial strike in the victory over Preston North End at Deepdale to complete the club’s rise.
He went on to star in the following campaign as John Toshack’s side took the fight to the elite of English football, eventually finishing sixth in the First Division.
Toshack commenting believes James was “one of the best two-footed players I’ve ever played with or seen.”
“The out and out winger these days is a dying breed in football, but Leighton James was one of the finest wingers that British football has ever produced and we were very very lucky at the fact he was a Welshman.
“Some of the best moments I had with Wales and the goals I scored were because of Leighton. He was some talent.”
James’ former club Burnley were also among those to pay condolences to the man known as ‘taff’.
“We are sorry to hear the news of Leighton’s passing,” Burnley chairman Alan Pace said of James, who had three spells at Turf Moor and scored 81 goals in 399 appearances for the Clarets.
“He left an indelible mark on this football club and stories of his playing skills still echo around Turf Moor.”
Swansea and Wales legend Alan Curtis said James “was a great player”.
“That word is often given to good players, not great ones, but Leighton was a genuinely great player.
“Even to this day I don’t know if he was right or left-footed. He was a terrific player.”
Wales forward Ian Walsh says James is a huge loss to Welsh football:
“Apart from being a wonderfully technical footballer, he was an imposing character,” he said.
“I had some really funny moments and some great times with him as a team-mate.
“His style of wing-play is a skill that has gone out of the game.”
[Lead image: Swansea City FC]
