However, James was good enough to play for Nottingham Forest up to his teens, before turning out for Boston Town and Boston United in the Conference League.

“And then when I was 20, I just needed a lifestyle change. I wasn’t in a good place at the time," he says. 

With his life at a crossroads, and with no plan to play football in Australia, James says by luck he met “some good people” in Canberra.

“And life changed very quickly. I can’t fault what I’ve done so far in Australia. Australia is the best country in the world!

“So I started playing in Canberra and it went a bit well,” he recalls in one of the understatements of the year.

“A bit well” by James’ standards equates to an astounding 80 goals in 83 games in four years in the Capital Football NPL.

In 2018, for instance, he banged in 19 goals in 17 games for Canberra FC.

Being on a visa, the club sponsored him and he also began studying building and construction management and business management.

Apt given he’s built a new life.

He graduated last December.

The ACT may be the capital of Australia, but the most powerful NPLs are in Sydney and Melbourne.

So, this year, he was lured to Wollongong Wolves by former Bristol City, Middlesbrough, Dynamo Moscow and Feyenoord defender Luke Wilkshire.

The now-retired 37-year-old World Cup Socceroo was building his coaching career in the NSW NPL on the scenic south coast, about an hour’s drive from Sydney.

The former Socceroo knew James was the missing ingredient.

And you guessed it, 22 goals later, the now 26-year-old is the newly crowned NSW NPL Golden Boot as the league winners Wolves chase Grand Final glory.