*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10:01, 3 September 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15:45, 12 June 2024 (UTC)
In September 2013 Sterling-James moved to Redditch United of the Southern League.[3] He appeared regularly with the side, also scoring 13 goals during the whole campaign.[4]
Sterling-James spent the first half of the following season on loan at Oxford City of the National League South. In December 2015, Cheltenham confirmed that he was one of seven players whose contracts would not be renewed.[10][11] On his return to his parent club, he made one appearance, in the FA Trophy,[2] before joining National League North club Gloucester City on 4 February 2016 on loan until the end of the season.[12]
Sterling-James signed for Solihull Moors, newly promoted to the National League, in July 2016.[citation needed] He scored, and was named man of the match, on his debut in a 3–1 victory over Sutton United.[13][14] At the end of December he signed a new contract,[15] and he finished the season with 9 goals from 46 appearances.[2]
Although Moors wanted to keep Sterling-James at the club, he was determined to return to the Football League, and he signed for League Two club Mansfield Town on a free transfer.[16][17] By mid-January 2018, he had failed to score in twenty appearances, only two of which were league starts,[2] and he rejoined Solihull Moors on 22 March on loan until the end of the season.[18] He played in three more Mansfield matches before a proposed loan move to Boston United fell through and he finished the 2018–19 season on loan to Brackley Town of the National League South, where he played little.[19][2] On his return to Mansfield he again struggled for game time, joined Kettering Town on loan shortly before the National League was suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic,[20][21] and was released when his contract expired.[22]
Sterling-James signed for Kidderminster Harriers in September 2020,[23] He played in all but one of their National League North matches before the season was ended early because of COVID-19.[2] He was a regular in Kidderminster's side in 2021–22, and contributed to their FA Cup run: entering at the second qualifying round, they beat Championship team Reading to reach the fourth round, in which they led Premier League team West Ham United until stoppage time before losing in extra time.[2][24]
In June 2022, Sterling-James joined National League South club Ebbsfleet United.[25] During his first season at the club, they were promoted to the National League as champions.[26] He departed the club upon the expiration of his contract at the end of the 2023–24 season.[27]
In July 2024, Sterling-James returned to his first senior club, Southern League Premier Division Central club Alvechurch.[28]