{{Short description|English footballer (born 1991)}} {{For-multi|the American politician|H. James Shea Jr.|the president of the University of Mary|James Patrick Shea}} {{Use British English|date=February 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}} {{Infobox football biography | name = James Shea | image = James Shea.png | upright = yes | caption = Shea with Luton Town in 2024 | full_name = James William Shea<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/efl-documents/202021/efl-squad-numbering-11.09.2020.pdf |title=Notification of shirt numbers: Luton Town |publisher=English Football League |page=39 |access-date=22 September 2020}}</ref> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1991|6|16|df=y}}<ref name=Hugman>{{Hugman|25283|access-date=29 May 2018}}</ref> | birth_place = Islington, England | height = {{convert|1.85|m|order=flip}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/players/3795/James-Shea/overview |title=James Shea: Overview |publisher=Premier League |access-date=7 January 2024}}</ref> | position = Goalkeeper | currentclub = Luton Town | clubnumber = 1 | youthyears1 = 2007–2010 | youthclubs1 = Arsenal | years1 = 2010–2013 | clubs1 = Arsenal | caps1 = 0 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2011 | clubs2 = → Southampton (loan) | caps2 = 0 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2011 | clubs3 = → Dagenham & Redbridge (loan) | caps3 = 1 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2013 | clubs4 = Needham Market | caps4 = 1 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 2013–2014 | clubs5 = Harrow Borough | caps5 = 32 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2014–2017 | clubs6 = AFC Wimbledon | caps6 = 95 | goals6 = 0 | years7 = 2017– | clubs7 = Luton Town | caps7 = 93 | goals7 = 0 | club-update = 10:12, 23 January 2026 (UTC) }} '''James William Shea''' (born 16 June 1991) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for {{English football updater|LutonTow}} club Luton Town.
==Career== ===Arsenal=== Born in Islington, Greater London,<ref name=Hugman/> Shea joined Arsenal's youth team in August 2007. In 2009, he won both the Premier Academy League and FA Youth Cup.<ref name=ReservesProfile>{{cite web |url=http://www.arsenal.com/reserves-youth/players/james-shea |title=James Shea |publisher=Arsenal F.C. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110110082807/http://www.arsenal.com/reserves-youth/players/james-shea |archive-date=10 January 2011}}</ref><ref name=2009FAYC>{{cite web |url=http://www.thefa.com/Competitions/FACompetitions/TheFAYouthCup/newsandfeatures/2009/liverpool_arsenal_final2_280509.aspx |title=Young Gunners lift Youth Cup |first=Krystyna |last=Rudzki |publisher=The Football Association |date=26 May 2009 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120524225638/http://www.thefa.com/Competitions/FACompetitions/TheFAYouthCup/newsandfeatures/2009/liverpool_arsenal_final2_280509.aspx |archive-date=24 May 2012}}</ref>
Shea joined League One club Southampton on a month-long loan in February 2011 to act as cover for the injured Bartosz Białkowski. However, he was recalled after eight days by Arsenal without making an appearance.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/9402141.stm |title=Southampton sign Arsenal goalkeeper James Shea on loan |website=BBC Sport |date=18 February 2011 |access-date=6 August 2011}}</ref>
Shea was sent out on loan to League Two club Dagenham & Redbridge for the 2011–12 season.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11670/7063229/daggers-land-shea |title=Daggers land Shea |website=Sky Sports |date=26 July 2011 |access-date=28 December 2018}}</ref> He made his debut as a substitute for Chris Lewington in the match against Macclesfield Town at Moss Rose.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.barkinganddagenhampost.co.uk/sport/football/dagenham-and-redbridge/elito-strike-hands-10-man-daggers-victory-over-macclesfield-1-986685 |title=Elito strike hands 10-man Daggers victory over Macclesfield |first=Joshua |last=Richards |newspaper=Barking & Dagenham Post |location=Ilford |date=7 August 2011 |access-date=28 December 2018 |archive-date=10 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410214612/https://www.barkinganddagenhampost.co.uk/sport/football/dagenham-and-redbridge/elito-strike-hands-10-man-daggers-victory-over-macclesfield-1-986685 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Despite getting a yellow card for wasting time, he helped his team to win their first league match of the season by scoreline of 1–0.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/maccfield-vs-dag-red/237130 |title=Debutant Elito downs Macc |website=Sky Sports |date=7 August 2011 |access-date=28 December 2018}}</ref>
He was recalled from his loan by Arsenal on 5 December 2011.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.barkinganddagenhampost.co.uk/sport/football/dagenham-and-redbridge/shea-returns-to-arsenal-1-1145856 |title=Shea returns to Arsenal |first=Joshua |last=Richards |newspaper=Barking & Dagenham Post |location=Ilford |date=5 December 2011 |access-date=28 December 2018 |archive-date=10 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410205205/https://www.barkinganddagenhampost.co.uk/sport/football/dagenham-and-redbridge/shea-returns-to-arsenal-1-1145856 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On 18 September 2012, he was on the bench because of injuries to Wojciech Szczęsny and Łukasz Fabiański for a UEFA Champions League match against Montpellier HSC.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/montpellier-vs-arsenal/274101 |title=Podolski keeps firing for Gunners |website=Sky Sports |date=19 September 2012 |access-date=28 December 2018}}</ref> On 30 June 2013, he was released along with nine other young players at Arsenal.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/arsenal-release-10-young-players |title=Arsenal release 10 young players |publisher=Arsenal F.C. |date=30 May 2013 |access-date=28 December 2018}}</ref>
===Non-League=== After a short spell with Needham Market of Division One North,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/latest-news/8580/needham-market-star-signs-for-harrow-borough/ |title=Needham Market star signs for Harrow Borough |first=Steven |last=Coney |newspaper=The Non-League Paper |location=London |date=29 October 2013 |access-date=28 December 2018}}</ref> in October 2013 Shea signed for Isthmian League Premier Division club Harrow Borough, where he played 36 matches, with 32 of these in the league.<ref name=Harrow1314/>
===AFC Wimbledon=== Shea joined League Two club AFC Wimbledon on a free transfer on 4 July 2014.<ref name=Wimbledon>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/28161512 |title=James Shea: AFC Wimbledon sign former Arsenal goalkeeper |website=BBC Sport |date=4 July 2014 |access-date=28 December 2018}}</ref>
Shea was Wimbledon's regular goalkeeper during the 2014–15 season and at the start of the 2015–16 season, but was replaced by loan signings when he was injured, and was not able to regain his place. He was on the substitutes' bench for all of the matches of the League Two play-offs of 2016 where Wimbledon reached the final and eventually won 2–0 against Plymouth Argyle at Wembley Stadium thus securing the club's promotion to League One.<ref name=2016POF>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36355814 |title=AFC Wimbledon 2–0 Plymouth Argyle |first=Brent |last=Pilnick |website=BBC Sport |date=30 May 2016 |access-date=28 December 2018}}</ref>
===Luton Town=== On 3 July 2017, Shea joined Luton Town on a one-year contract.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40485921 |title=James Shea: Luton Town sign former AFC Wimbledon goalkeeper |website=BBC Sport |date=3 July 2017 |access-date=3 July 2017}}</ref> He played for the club throughout their journey up the leagues, culminating with a Premier League debut on 19 May 2024. On 24 May 2024, the club said it had exercised an option to extend his contract.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Luton Town Retained and Released list 2024 |url=https://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/2024/may/retained-released-2024/ |access-date=2024-05-24 |website=www.lutontown.co.uk |language=en-gb}}</ref>
==International experience== In August 2010, Shea trained with the England squad at Arsenal's London Colney training ground because of an injury to David Stockdale.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/james-shea-trains-with-the-england-squad |title=James Shea trains with the England squad |publisher=Arsenal F.C. |date=31 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121014202733/http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/james-shea-trains-with-the-england-squad |archive-date=14 October 2012}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{updated|match played 12 April 2026}}
{| 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"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="4"|Arsenal |2010–11<ref name=sb1011>{{soccerbase season|52376|2010|access-date=1 April 2018}}</ref> |Premier League |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0 |- |2011–12<ref name=sb1112>{{soccerbase season|52376|2011|access-date=1 April 2018}}</ref> |Premier League |0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||0||0||0||0 |- |2012–13<ref>{{soccerbase season|52376|2012|access-date=1 April 2018}}</ref> |Premier League |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0 |- |Southampton (loan) |2010–11<ref name=sb1011/> |League One |0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||0||0 |- |Dagenham & Redbridge (loan) |2011–12<ref name=sb1112/> |League Two |1||0||1||0||1||0||1{{efn|name=FLT|Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy}}||0||4||0 |- |Needham Market |2013–14 |Isthmian League Division One North |1||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||1||0 |- |Harrow Borough |2013–14<ref name=Harrow1314>{{cite web |url=http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/harrowborough/teams/60083/player/james-shea-1133133/17924 |title=The team: James Shea: 2013–14 |publisher=Harrow Borough F.C. |access-date=1 April 2018 |via=Pitchero}}</ref> |Isthmian League Premier Division |32||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||4{{efn|Three appearances in Isthmian League Cup, one in Middlesex Senior Cup}}||0||36||0 |- |rowspan="4"|AFC Wimbledon |2014–15<ref>{{soccerbase season|52376|2014|access-date=1 April 2018}}</ref> |League Two |38||0||4||0||1||0||3{{efn|name=FLT}}||0||46||0 |- |2015–16<ref>{{soccerbase season|52376|2015|access-date=1 April 2018}}</ref> |League Two |21||0||0||0||1||0||1{{efn|name=FLT}}||0||23||0 |- |2016–17<ref>{{soccerbase season|52376|2016|access-date=1 April 2018}}</ref> |League One |36||0||5||0||0||0||2{{efn|name=EFLT|Appearances in EFL Trophy}}||0||43||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !95||0||9||0||2||0||6||0||112||0 |- | rowspan="10" |Luton Town |2017–18<ref>{{soccerbase season|52376|2017|access-date=5 May 2018}}</ref> |League Two |8||0||0||0||0||0||5{{efn|name=EFLT}}||0||13||0 |- |2018–19<ref>{{soccerbase season|52376|2018|access-date=5 May 2019}}</ref> |League One |41||0||4||0||1||0||0||0||46||0 |- |2019–20<ref>{{soccerbase season|52376|2019|access-date=5 September 2020}}</ref> |Championship |13||0||0||0||3||0||colspan="2"|—||16||0 |- |2020–21<ref>{{soccerbase season|52376|2020|access-date=21 August 2021}}</ref> |Championship |7||0||0||0||3||0||colspan="2"|—||10||0 |- |2021–22<ref>{{soccerbase season|52376|2021|access-date=7 August 2022}}</ref> |Championship |19||0||1||0||1||0||0||0||21||0 |- |2022–23<ref>{{soccerbase season|52376|2022|access-date=7 August 2022}}</ref> |Championship |1||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||1||0 |- |2023–24<ref>{{soccerbase season|52376|2023|access-date=7 August 2022}}</ref> |Premier League |1||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||1||0 |- |2024–25<ref>{{Cite web |title=James Shea {{!}} Football Stats {{!}} Luton Town {{!}} Season 2024/2025 {{!}} Soccer Base |url=https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=52376&season_id=157 |access-date=2026-01-23 |website=www.soccerbase.com}}</ref> |Championship |2 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 | colspan="2" |— |2 |0 |- |2025–26<ref>{{Cite web |title=James Shea {{!}} Football Stats {{!}} Luton Town {{!}} Season 2025/2026 {{!}} Soccer Base |url=https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=52376&season_id=158 |access-date=2026-01-23 |website=www.soccerbase.com}}</ref> |League One |1 |0 |1 |0 |1 |0 |8{{efn|name=EFLT}} |0 |11 |0 |- ! colspan="2" |Total !93||0||6||0||9||0||13||0||121||0 |- ! colspan="3" |Career total !222||0||16||0||12||0||24||0||274||0 |}
{{notelist}}
==Honours== '''Arsenal''' *Premier Academy League: 2008–09<ref name=ReservesProfile/> *FA Youth Cup: 2008–09<ref name=2009FAYC/>
'''AFC Wimbledon''' *Football League Two play-offs: 2016<ref name=2016POF/>
'''Luton Town''' *EFL Championship play-offs: 2023<ref>{{Cite news |title=Luton win shootout to reach Premier League |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65654937 |access-date=2023-05-27}}</ref> *EFL League One: 2018–19<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.soccerbase.com/tournaments/tournament.sd?tourn_id=1645 |title=League One: 2018/19: Current table |website=Soccerbase |publisher=Centurycomm |access-date=5 May 2019}}<br />{{cite web |url=https://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=1628&teamTabs=stats&season_id=151 |title=Luton: Squad details: 2018/19 |website=Soccerbase |publisher=Centurycomm |access-date=5 May 2019}}</ref> *EFL Trophy: 2025–26<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c79j7v7lpgdt#Line-ups |title=Luton Town 3–1 Stockport County: Line-ups |website=BBC Sport |date=12 April 2026 |access-date=12 April 2026}}</ref> *EFL League Two runner-up: 2017–18<ref>{{cite book |editor-first=John |editor-last=Anderson |title=Football Yearbook 2018–2019 |year=2018 |publisher=Headline Publishing Group |location=London |isbn=978-1-4722-6106-9 |pages=214–215}}<br />{{cite web |url=https://www.lutontown.co.uk/ifollow/video-archive/?video=promotion-presentation-and-lap-of-honour |title=Promotion presentation and lap of honour |publisher=Luton Town F.C. |access-date=5 May 2019}}</ref>
'''Individual''' *Harrow Borough Player of the Year: 2013–14<ref name=Wimbledon/> *EFL League One Golden Glove: 2018–19<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/2019/may/james-shea-james-collins-golden-glove-golden-boot-boot/ |title=James Shea and James Collins win Golden Glove and Golden Boot Awards! |publisher=Luton Town F.C. |date=7 May 2019 |access-date=9 July 2020}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.lutontown.co.uk/teams/first-team/goalkeeper/james-shea/ Profile] at the Luton Town F.C. website
{{Luton Town F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shea, James}} Category:1991 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from the London Borough of Islington Category:People from Islington (district) Category:English men's footballers Category:Men's association football goalkeepers Category:Arsenal F.C. players Category:Southampton F.C. players Category:Dagenham & Redbridge F.C. players Category:Needham Market F.C. players Category:Harrow Borough F.C. players Category:AFC Wimbledon players Category:Luton Town F.C. players Category:English Football League players Category:Isthmian League players Category:Premier League players Category:English people of Irish descent Category:21st-century English sportsmen