Chris Buckley (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Christopher Sebastian "Chris" Buckley (9 November 1886 – 11 January 1973) was a football
player in the early years of professional football in England
, who played at centre half for a variety of clubs including Aston Villa
and Arsenal
, before later returning to Villa as director and chairman. He was the younger brother of Frank Buckley
, who was also a player and manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers
.
, Manchester
, Buckley studied at Xaverian College
in his native city and the Manchester Catholic Collegiate Institute. He went on to play for Victoria Park, Manchester Ship Canal and Manchester City
Reserves before stepping up to the senior level with Brighton & Hove Albion
of the Southern League
in 1905. A year later he joined Aston Villa
and played 20 league games in his first season, before breaking his ankle in a game against Manchester United
on the opening day of the 1907-08
season, which kept him out of the game for over a year.
He continued to play for Villa after coming back from injury, winning a First Division
title in 1909-10
and made nearly 150 league appearances for Aston Villa in six seasons. He had a trial for England
in 1911 but was never capped. In 1914 he moved south to join Arsenal
of the Second Division
, and played in the last season before competitive football's suspension due to World War I
. Aged 31 when football resumed in 1919, he still played for another two seasons before breaking a leg in 1920-21
and losing his place to Alex Graham. In total he played 59 games for the club, scoring three goals.
After retiring, Buckley later returned to Villa, joining the club's board of directors
in 1936, and serving as chairman from 1955 to 1966. He stepped down as a director in 1967 and died in 1973, aged 86.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player in the early years of professional football in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, who played at centre half for a variety of clubs including Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
and Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, before later returning to Villa as director and chairman. He was the younger brother of Frank Buckley
Frank Buckley (footballer)
Franklin Charles Buckley was an English football player and, later, manager. He is the brother of Chris Buckley who played for Aston Villa.-Early life:...
, who was also a player and manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
.
Biography
Born in UrmstonUrmston
Urmston is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England, with a population of around 41,000. Historically a part of Lancashire, it lies about six miles to the southwest of Manchester city centre. The southern boundary is marked by the River Mersey and the...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, Buckley studied at Xaverian College
Xaverian College
Xaverian Roman Catholic Sixth form College is a College in the city of Manchester.-Admissions:It lies in the inner city suburb of Rusholme close to Wilmslow Road and Oxford Road...
in his native city and the Manchester Catholic Collegiate Institute. He went on to play for Victoria Park, Manchester Ship Canal and Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
Reserves before stepping up to the senior level with Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
of the Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
in 1905. A year later he joined Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
and played 20 league games in his first season, before breaking his ankle in a game against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
on the opening day of the 1907-08
1907-08 in English football
The 1907–08 season was the 37th season of competitive football in England. Manchester United were Football League champions for the first time, while Bradford City won the Second Division and Wolverhampton Wanderers won the FA Cup...
season, which kept him out of the game for over a year.
He continued to play for Villa after coming back from injury, winning a First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
title in 1909-10
1909-10 in English football
The 1909–10 season was the 39th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Aston Villa won their sixth top division title.Lincoln CIty were re-admitted to the Football League after a season away, at the expense of Chesterfield.-Honours:...
and made nearly 150 league appearances for Aston Villa in six seasons. He had a trial for England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
in 1911 but was never capped. In 1914 he moved south to join Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
of the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
, and played in the last season before competitive football's suspension due to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Aged 31 when football resumed in 1919, he still played for another two seasons before breaking a leg in 1920-21
1920-21 in English football
The 1920–21 season was the 46th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The Football League Third Division is introduced, expanding the League's operational radius south of Birmingham...
and losing his place to Alex Graham. In total he played 59 games for the club, scoring three goals.
After retiring, Buckley later returned to Villa, joining the club's board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
in 1936, and serving as chairman from 1955 to 1966. He stepped down as a director in 1967 and died in 1973, aged 86.