{{short description|English footballer and coach}} {{Use British English|date=July 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}} {{Infobox football biography | name = James Scowcroft | image = | fullname = James Benjamin Scowcroft | height = {{height|ft=6|in=1}}<ref>{{cite news |title=James Scowcroft profile |url=http://www.lcfc.com/page/ProfilesDetail/0%2C%2C10274~5792%2C00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120218092516/http://www.lcfc.com/page/ProfilesDetail/0%2C%2C10274~5792%2C00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 February 2012 |publisher=[[Leicester City F.C.]] |access-date=17 May 2020}}</ref> | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1975|11|15|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Bury St Edmunds]], England | position = [[Forward (association football)#Striker|Striker]] | youthyears1 = 1986–1994 | youthclubs1 = [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]] | years1 = 1994–2001 | years2 = 2001–2005 | years3 = 2005 | years4 = 2005–2006 | years5 = 2006–2009 | years6 = 2009–2010 | years7 = 2010–2012 | clubs1 = [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]] | clubs2 = [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] | clubs3 = → [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]] (loan) | clubs4 = [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]] | clubs5 = [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] | clubs6 = [[Leyton Orient F.C.|Leyton Orient]] | clubs7 = [[Bury Town F.C.|Bury Town]] | caps1 = 206 | goals1 = 47 | caps2 = 133 | goals2 = 24 | caps3 = 9 | goals3 = 0 | caps4 = 41 | goals4 = 3 | caps5 = 83 | goals5 = 14 | caps6 = 26 | goals6 = 0 | caps7 = 26 | goals7 = 8 | totalcaps = 524 | totalgoals = 96 | nationalyears1 = 1996–1997 | nationalteam1 = [[England national under-21 football team|England U21]] | nationalcaps1 = 5 | nationalgoals1 = 0 }} '''James Benjamin Scowcroft''' (born 15 November 1975) is an English retired [[association football|footballer]] who played as a [[Forward (association football)#Striker|striker]]. He is a European Scout for [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]].
Scowcroft began his career at [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]], graduating from the club's academy. He went on to score over 50 goals and make over 200 appearances for Ipswich, helping the club win promotion to the [[Premier League]] in 2000. He joined [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] in 2001, spending four seasons at the club, including helping the club return to the Premier League in 2003. He returned to Ipswich on loan during the 2004–05 season before joining [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]] in 2005. He spent one season at Coventry before leaving to join [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] in 2006. He spent three seasons at Crystal Palace. In 2009 he joined [[Leyton Orient F.C.|Leyton Orient]], spending one season with the club. After his release from Leyton Orient in 2010, Scowcroft joined hometown club [[Bury Town F.C.|Bury Town]].
He won five caps for the [[England national under-21 football team|England U21]] national team between 1996 and 1997.
==Club career== Born in [[Bury St Edmunds]], [[Suffolk]], Scowcroft started his career as a youth player at nearby [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]], joining the club at the age of 11.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.buryfreepress.co.uk/sport/scowie-s-best-ever-season-despite-painful-late-twist-9110893/ | work=Bury Free Press | title=James Scowcroft looks back on a golden campaign for Ipswich Town 20 years on from winning promotion to the Premier League | date=25 May 2020}}</ref> He progressed to become a regular first team player, gaining five [[England under-21 national football team|England Under-21]] caps in the process. From 1994 to 2001 he played over 200 games for the club, scoring over 50 goals. He was named player's and fan's [[Ipswich Town F.C. Player of the Year|Player of the Year]] in 2000 but missed out on the [[2000 Football League First Division play-off Final|play off final]] with a hamstring injury, which saw Ipswich promoted to the Premier League.<ref>{{Cite web | url = https://www.theguardian.com/football/2000/may/28/newsstory.sport8 | title = Ipswich v Barnsley: a form guide | work = [[The Guardian]] | date = 28 May 2000 | access-date = 22 August 2021 | first = Marie-José | last = Kleef | archive-date = 1 September 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200901122757/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2000/may/28/newsstory.sport8 | url-status = live }}</ref> At the end of the [[2000–01 in English football|2000–01]] season, he was sold to [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] for £3m, where he played over 150 games, scoring fewer than 30 goals. During his period at Leicester Scowcroft was accused of being involved in the alleged sexual assault of three women at [[La Manga]] golf club, Spain, but was cleared of all charges, having been mistakenly identified.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3732707.stm | publisher=BBC News | title=Leicester trio charges 'dropped' | date=21 May 2004}}</ref> He was loaned back to Ipswich in the spring of 2005.
Scowcroft was then signed by [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]] on a free transfer. He was used primarily on the right sometimes as the right wing for Coventry for the [[2005–06 in English football|2005–06]] season. He left Coventry City to join [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] for [[Pound sterling|£]]500,000 in July 2006. He was released by the club in May 2009<ref>[http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11688_5288834,00.html striker one of six to get new deals but nine players released]</ref> having made a total of 86 senior appearances scoring 14 times.<ref>{{cite book|title=Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–2011|last=King|first=Ian|date=April 2012|pages=552–3|publisher=Derby Books|isbn=9781780910468}}</ref> He then joined [[Leyton Orient F.C.|Leyton Orient]] but after fitness problems and failing to score a goal in 20 games for Orient, he was released a year later.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leytonorient.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10439~2047424,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224105202/http://www.leytonorient.com/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10439~2047424%2C00.html |archive-date=24 February 2012 |title=O's release seven |publisher=LeytonOrient.com. |date=13 May 2010 |access-date=19 October 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In September 2010, Scowcroft joined [[non-league]] hometown club, [[Bury Town F.C.|Bury Town]], signing a "pay-as-you-play" deal.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/8973428.stm|title=James Scowcroft makes step down to Bury Town|date=6 September 2010|access-date=6 September 2010|publisher=BBC Sport}}</ref> He made his debut as a substitute in an away game against [[Wealdstone F.C.|Wealdstone]] later the same month.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.burytownfc.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=69&catid=2|title= James Scowcroft thanks the fans|date=12 January 2012|access-date=19 October 2013|publisher=Bury Town F.C.}}</ref> In January 2012 Bury Town announced Scowcroft's retirement from football, having failed to recover from an injury sustained during a pre-season friendly.<ref>{{cite web|last=Collins|first=Trevor|title=James Scowcroft retires from playing|url=http://www.burytownfc.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=68:james-scowcroft-retires-from-playing&catid=2:first-team-news|publisher=Bury Town Football Club|access-date=12 February 2012}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |+Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|[[FA Cup]] !colspan="2"|[[EFL Cup|League Cup]] !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals |- |rowspan="7" valign="center" |[[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]] |[[1995–96 Ipswich Town F.C. season|1995–96]] |[[Football League First Division|First Division]] |27||2||2||0||0||0||0||0||29||2 |- |[[1996–97 Ipswich Town F.C. season|1996–97]]<ref name="JS96">{{soccerbase season|7461|1996|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref> |First Division |41||9||1||0||6||1||2{{efn|name=FDPO|Appearances in [[Football League First Division|First Division]] play-offs}}||1||50||11 |- |[[1997–98 Ipswich Town F.C. season|1997–98]]<ref name="JS97">{{soccerbase season|7461|1997|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref> |First Division |31||6||4||0||4||1||2{{efn|name=FDPO}}||0||41||7 |- |[[1998–99 Ipswich Town F.C. season|1998–99]]<ref name="JS98">{{soccerbase season|7461|1998|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref> |First Division |32||13||0||0||2||1||2{{efn|name=FDPO}}||0||36||14 |- |[[1999–2000 Ipswich Town F.C. season|1999–00]]<ref name="JS99">{{soccerbase season|7461|1999|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref> |First Division |41||13||1||0||4||2||2{{efn|name=FDPO}}||0||48||15 |- |[[2000–01 Ipswich Town F.C. season|2000–01]]<ref name="JS00">{{soccerbase season|7461|2000|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref> |[[Premier League]] |34||4||2||0||7||2||colspan="2"|—||43||6 |- !colspan="2"|'''Total''' !206!!47!!10!!0!!23!!7!!8!!1!!247!!55 |- |rowspan="5"|[[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] |[[2001–02 Leicester City F.C. season|2001–02]]<ref name="JS01">{{soccerbase season|7461|2001|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref> |Premier League |24||5||1||2||1||0||colspan="2"|—||26||7 |- |[[2002–03 Leicester City F.C. season|2002–03]]<ref name="JS02">{{soccerbase season|7461|2002|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref> |First Division |43||10||3||1||1||0||colspan="2"|—||47||11 |- |[[2003–04 Leicester City F.C. season|2003–04]]<ref name="JS03">{{soccerbase season|7461|2003|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref> |Premier League |35||5||2||0||2||0||colspan="2"|—||39||5 |- |[[2004–05 Leicester City F.C. season|2004–05]]<ref name="JS04">{{soccerbase season|7461|2004|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref> |[[EFL Championship|Championship]] |31||4||3||1||1||0||colspan="2"|—||35||5 |- !colspan="2"|'''Total''' !133!!24!!9!!4!!5!!0!!0!!0!!147!!28 |- |[[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]] (loan) |[[2004–05 Ipswich Town F.C. season|2004–05]]<ref name="JS04"/> |Championship |9||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||9||0 |- |[[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]] |[[2005–06 Coventry City F.C. season|2005–06]]<ref name="JS05">{{soccerbase season|7461|2005|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref> |Championship |41||3||3||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||45||3 |- |rowspan="4"|[[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] |[[2006–07 Crystal Palace F.C. season|2006–07]]<ref name="JS06">{{soccerbase season|7461|2006|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref> |Championship |35||5||1||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||36||5 |- |[[2007–08 Crystal Palace F.C. season|2007–08]]<ref name="JS07">{{soccerbase season|7461|2007|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref> |Championship |38||9||1||0||0||0||1{{efn|name=CHPO|Appearance in [[EFL Championship play-offs|Championship play-offs]]}}||0||40||9 |- |[[2008–09 Crystal Palace F.C. season|2008–09]]<ref name="JS08">{{soccerbase season|7461|2008|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref> |Championship |10||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||10||0 |- !colspan="2"|'''Total''' !83!!14!!2!!0!!0!!0!!1!!0!!86!!14 |- |[[Leyton Orient F.C.|Leyton Orient]] |[[2009–10 Football League One|2009–10]]<ref name="JS09">{{soccerbase season|7461|2009|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref> |[[EFL League One|League One]] |26||0||1||0||1||0||2{{efn|name=FLT|Appearances in [[Football League Trophy]]}}||0||30||0 |- |[[Bury Town F.C.|Bury Town]] |[[2010–11 Isthmian League#Premier Division|2010–11]] |[[Isthmian League|IL Premier Division]] |26||8||0||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||26||8 |- !colspan="3"|Career totals !524!!96!!25!!4!!30!!7!!11!!1!!590!!108 |}
{{notelist}}
==Honours== '''Ipswich Town''' *[[English Football League play-offs|Football League First Division play-offs]]: [[2000 Football League play-offs#First Division|2000]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/football/768682.stm |title=Ipswich triumph at last |publisher=BBC News |date=29 May 2000 |access-date=25 September 2019}}</ref>
'''Leicester City''' *[[Football League First Division]] runner-up: [[2002–03 Football League First Division|2002–03]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2003/may/05/match.wolverhamptonwanderersfootball |title=Wolves strike mood of hungry belief |work=The Guardian |date=5 May 2003 |access-date=17 March 2020}}</ref>
'''Individual''' *Nationwide Player of the Month: December 1999 *[[Ipswich Town F.C. Player of the Year|Ipswich Town Player of the season]]: [[1999–2000 Ipswich Town F.C. season|1999–2000]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/356/scowy-wins-player-of-the-year |title=Scowy Wins Player of the Year |publisher=TWTD |date=5 May 2000 |access-date=17 May 2020}}</ref> *[[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] Goal of the season: [[2001–02 Leicester City F.C. season|2001–02]] *[[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] Goal of the Season: [[2007–08 Crystal Palace F.C. season|2007–08]]
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20090703185346/http://www.cpfc.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0%2C%2C10323~5792%2C00.html James Scowcroft player profile] at cpfc.co.uk *[https://web.archive.org/web/20120218092516/http://www.lcfc.com/page/ProfilesDetail/0%2C%2C10274~5792%2C00.html James Scowcroft player profile] at lcfc.com *{{Soccerbase}}
{{Ipswich Town F.C. Player of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scowcroft, James}} [[Category:1975 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Footballers from Bury St Edmunds]] [[Category:English men's footballers]] [[Category:England men's under-21 international footballers]] [[Category:Men's association football forwards]] [[Category:Ipswich Town F.C. players]] [[Category:Leicester City F.C. players]] [[Category:Coventry City F.C. players]] [[Category:Crystal Palace F.C. players]] [[Category:Leyton Orient F.C. players]] [[Category:Bury Town F.C. players]] [[Category:English Football League players]] [[Category:Premier League players]] [[Category:Isthmian League players]]