I am driven to these repeats (above) having done the nostalgia thing with "Roy of the Rovers" yesterday and I am now being haunted by Charles Buchan. The links will tell you more about this remarkable footballer, journalist and author.
I shall add a few more tit bits below (no I am not going to venture into the saucy magazine that was on the newsagents shelf at Pulborough station newsagents on a Monday morning!) to Buchan's life. I could have done Gerry Marsden's life.....
If you can't be bothered to look at the links (you really should you know), here's a potted version of CB's life:
Born: Plumstead 22/9/1891 Died: Monte Carlo 25/6/60 The photo dates from 1911.
Clubs: Woolwich Arsenal FC (later to be The Gunners) 1909-10: briefly with Northfleet United at the Thames as an amateur: Leyton 1910/11: Sunderland 1911-25 (379 apps 209 goals): Arsenal 1925-28 (103 apps 49 goals): All games total 379 apps: 209 goals.
His Arsenal debut was against SPURS on 29th August 1925.
England: debut 15th February 1913 v Ireland with his career disturbed by the War...only 6 caps to 1924.
He was the leading goal scorer at Sunderland for several seasons and led them to the League title in 1913 and to runners-up in the FA Cup Final, losing to Aston Villa 0-1: missing out on a "modern day" Double.
He fought in the Grenadier Guards and Sherwood Foresters, winning the Military Medal.
(note that he also played Minor County Cricket for Durham post war). In 1923 he was awarded gthe Golden Boot for topping the First Division goal scoring list.
In 1927, he captained Arsenal to their first FA Cup Final, losing to Cardiff City 0-1; the first Cup FInal to host "Community Singing" (which went very well)....
look at this link for the main events of this game:
During this period Buchan was inspired by Herbert Chapman whose tactical thinking altered football, especially developing the famed WM formation-look it up!
Buchan retired from playing in 1928, took on journalism, worked for the "Daily News" and "News Chronicle", founded the Football Writers' Association in 1947, initiated the "Charles Buchan Football Monthly" in 1951 and this led to his annual. His autobiography "A Lifetime in Football" was published in 1955. He commentated on matches for the BBC.
Buchan was inducted into the "England Hall of Fame" in 2013, being a 22nd ranked top scorer in English football. Jimmy Greaves ranks top of this list with 6 annual titles, Steve Bloomer runners up with 5, Thierry Henry 4 and then Lineker, Shearer and John Campbell next in rank.
Who is John Campbell? A Scot, he played for Renton top scored for Sunderland in the 1890s (186 apps 133 goals) and then Newcastle Utd. His international career was spoiled because at his prime, the Scottish FA would not select players not playing in the Scottish Leagues. Below-one of the early "monthlies".
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