He turned professional in 1997, playing for Verdy Kawasaki (later "Tokyo Verdy") in the then-fledgling J1 League. He played as right side-back and midfielder. Yamada stayed with Verdy for the next eight years, clocking up almost 300 appearances for the club. He was one of the iconic players of J1 League's early years, known for his physical and charismatic strength on the field. The supporters' group honored him with the name of "Mr. Verdy" when he served as Verdy's captain for three years. He was also nicknamed "The Terminator", due to his combative style.