James on track for season start

James holds record for most Premier League appearances

Portsmouth and England goalkeeper David James expects to be fully fit for the start of the new Premier League season.

Rehabilitation after surgery on his shoulder is ahead of schedule.

It is more than 18 months since James tore his labrum in the warm-up before England's Euro 2008 qualifier against Russia at Wembley.

James told BBC Radio Solent:"I've also had a clean-out on my knee. It was the sensible thing to do considering the length of time I was going to be out."

James flies out to Malawi on Sunday to visit his charity. The 39-year-old will then link up with his Pompey team-mates later in the week.

He added: "Everything is geared up for being right for pre-season, then come the start of the season, crack on."

James decided to have surgery on his long-standing shoulder problem after Pompey secured safety in the Premier League last season.

It meant the veteran keeper missed key England World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Andorra last month.

But James is confident he made the right decision as he bids to represent his country in the World Cup finals in South Africa next summer.

"If I didn't feel happy in my own fitness and the way I can perform at this age then I wouldn't have gone through with the operation and I wouldn't have taken the risk."