Career
Club career Jacob Burns began his career with the local team Sydney United. They had signed him to use as squad cover, and he was only played eleven games during his three-year stay. His contract was allowed to run out, and on 17 October 2003 he joined Barnsley on a free transfer.
He also spent three seasons at Barnsley however these were a lot more respectable, as he played 91 times gaining 8 goals and one assist, as well as the club captaincy.
However, he craved another chance at international football, and so in 2006 he followed the chance of Champions League football to Polish League champions Wisla Krakow. Burns liked the manager at Wisla, and so when Wisla manager Dan Petrescu moved to Romanian top-flight team Unirea Urziceni at the start of the 2008-2009 season, the Australian followed.
Yet, despite this, his time in Romania was of mixed form and inconsistent appearances, and at the end of that one season, he decided the time was right for a return to his home land. On 4 May 2009, in was announced that Burns had signed a three-year contract with A-League club Perth Glory.
He has also been awarded the club captaincy.
Burns played his 100th game for Glory on 23 November 2013 in a game against Central Coast Mariners, and he was handed a two-match ban. On 4 April 2014 James Burns announced his retirement from football. International career Burns made his full international debut in 2000 against Scotland, and played again in 2001 against Colombia.
However his lack of first team football, and then the level of football he played with Barnsley meant that he dropped out of contention.
He made his return to the Australia squad for the 2–0 loss to Kuwait on 6 September 2006. His fourth cap came against Denmark in 2007.
He received a late call up to the Australian squad against Nigeria as a replacement for Tim Cahill, and came on at the start of the second half. He gained another cap in a friendly game against Ghana in Sydney, where he started the match, and came off on the 79th minute.
He earned another cap on 10 September 2008 when he replaced Jason Culina in the starting line-up to face Uzbekistan in a World Cup Qualifier.
