James Trainer

Who was James Trainer?

James Trainer was a Welsh association football player of the Victorian era. He was named the best goalkeeper of the English Football League several years in a row starting with the initial season of 1888–89, when he was part of the unbeaten Preston North End team nicknamed "The Invincibles".

Trainer first played for a Wrexham club while working as a coachbuilder until he moved to Bolton Wanderers in 1884. During his time there, he also played for Wales against Scotland in 1887.

In 1888 William Sudell persuaded Trainer to join Preston North End, having seem him play against Preston in a match that ended 12–0 for Preston.

Although Trainer played in the majority of Preston’s matches during the initial season of 1888–89, it was fellow Welsh goalkeeper Robert Mills-Roberts who had the honour of playing in the FA Cup final against Wolverhampton Wanderers, in a game that Preston won 3–0, securing the first "Double".

Between 1888 and 1897 Trainer played in 253 games for Preston, and after retiring he became landlord of the Lamb Hotel in Preston.

He later moved to London, where his business failed. He died in poverty in 1915.