james was the club's top scorer for the 2013–14 season with 13 leagues goals and 16 in all competitions. this made him the second-youngest pools player since world war two to hit double figures in a season. he went on to win hartlepool's player of the year and players' player of the year award at the end of the 2013–14 season. in august 2014, james submitted two transfer requests, with the media reporting interest from league one club peterborough united.