Former Hartlepool United striker released by National League North side

Now 30, James, who scored 31 goals in 189 appearances across three spells for Pools, was once touted as one of football's hottest properties and commanded a £500,000 when Peterborough signed him in 2014.

Following an impressive first spell at Pools, finding the net 22 times in 99 games, he never quite got going at the Posh and managed just two goals in 34 appearances.

An unsuccessful loan spell at Bradford, which was terminated four months before it was due to end, following and James returned to Pools for a second stint in 2016, scoring once in 20 matches.

James failed to score in 30 appearances during another loan stint, this time at Bristol Rovers, before he was snapped up on a free by Forest Green Rovers following his release from Peterborough. After one goal in 22 games at The New Lawn, James returned to Pools for a third spell in 2018. Although he scored just eight times in 60 matches, he impressed with his characteristic hard work and was voted as the fans player of the season after providing 11 assists in the 2018/19 campaign.

The versatile frontman left Pools for the third time in the summer of 2020 and has since spent time at the likes of Barrow, York and South Shields. Having signed for the Mariners in the summer of 2023, James was shipped out to Blyth Spartans and Morpeth Town, where he scored four goals in 25 games, on loan.

James is one of seven players set to leave South Shields, who finished 17th in the National League North, this summer. Former Pools midfielder Martin Smith, who was hospitalised after fracturing his skull in June last year, is among eight players to have been retained at the 1st Cloud Arena, along with top-scorer Paul Blackett, who bagged 22 goals in 40 games this term and is frequently linked with a move to the Prestige Group Stadium.

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