Buchan: Charles Murray (Charlie)

1917-1918 (Leeds City War-time Guest Player Details)

Inside Forward

Born: Plumstead: 22-09-1891

Debut: v Nottingham Forest (h): 02-02-1918

Height & Weight: Unknown

Buchan started playing with Woolwich Polytechnic, Plumstead St Nicholas and Plumstead before signing on Amateur forms for Woolwich Arsenal in 1908. He did not make the first team and left after a disagreement over expenses for a Reserve game and moved into Non-League with Northfleet and then Leyton FC, where he came to the attention of Sunderland. He joined the Roker club in March 1911 for a record £1,200 fee. He stayed there for fourteen years, scoring two hundred and nine goals in three hundred and seventy-nine League appearances, while in the F.A. Cup he scored thirteen in thirty-two games. He joined Arsenal in 1924 when he was already thirty-four, but went on to score forty-nine goals in one hundred and two League appearances and another seven goals in eighteen F.A Cup ties. His career figures showed he had scored two hundred and seventy-eight goals in five hundred and thirty-one appearances for his two League clubs. He was the sixth highest ever Football League goal-scorer. He scored four goals in his six appearances for England, which were seriously curtailed due to lack of International games, mainly because of the War, at the time, but his outspokenness did not endear him to the FA. He was frequently described as the best player in the country and while he was tall and elegant, he was not a speedy player but relied on his brilliance and trickery and speed of thought to beat opponents and score goals. During WW1 he served in the Army rising to the rank of Lieutenant and was awarded a Military Medal. He guested for several clubs as Sunderland did not participate in the War-time Tournaments and played one game for Leeds City, in which he scored. After the War he went back to Sunderland and played for them until he left for Arsenal, playing his first game for them in August 1925. Former Leeds City Manager Herbert Chapman built his team around Buchan and devised the tactics to play to his strengths and those tactics lasted for many seasons and resulted in Arsenal later winning three consecutive Championships. After retiring he became a journalist and commentator of high repute and founded the Charles Buchan’s Football Monthly and was the driving force behind the Football Writers’ Association and the Annual “Footballer of the Year” award. He died on 25th June 1960, while on holiday in Monte Carlo.