Robert Buchanan (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Robert John Buchanan was a Scottish
international footballer
who played as a forward
in the 1890s.
, he started his career as a youth player with Johnstone
before joining Abercorn
in 1887. Whilst on the books of Abercorn, he made his solitary international appearance for Scotland
on 21 March 1891 scoring in a 4–3 victory over Wales
.
He then moved to England
to join the short-lived Sunderland Albion
.
, playing in the Football League First Division
. In his first season he was top scorer (jointly with Billy Bowes
) with eight goals from 22 appearances, helping Burnley to finish in sixth place, their highest league finish to date. The following season, Buchanan was less successful in front of goal with only four goals from his 18 appearances, but Burnley finished the season one place higher in the league table.
, for 1894–95, their second season in the Football League Second Division
. Playing alongside Peter Mortimer and Paddy O'Brien
, he contributed nine goals from his 25 appearances, which included a goal on his debut, in Arsenal's 4–2 win over Manchester City
on 29 September 1894. The following season
he made 17 appearances with seven goals, switching from centre forward to inside left. In total he scored 16 goals in 44 league and cup appearances for Arsenal.
team Southampton St. Mary's
. The Southampton
public took to him immediately and his "never-give-up" attitude earned him the nickname "Death or Glory Bob". In his first season with the "Saints" he was ever-present, scoring eleven league goals as Southampton took the Southern League title for the first time. He scored a hat trick
in his second appearance, a 6–1 victory over Sheppey United
on 26 September 1896. He also helped Southampton reach Round 2 of the FA Cup
for the first time, where they went out to Newton Heath
after a replay.
The following season, he was top-scorer
with ten league and six FA Cup goals as the Saints again took the Southern League championship. Saints also had a superb run in the FA Cup reaching the semi final
where they went out in a replay 2–0 to Nottingham Forest
. In the cup run he scored "unlikely goals" against Leicester Fosse and Newcastle United
.
Although he remained with Southampton for the 1898–98 season, he only played twice. After 57 appearances for the Saints with 33 goals, he moved back to south-east London to join Sheppey United
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
international footballer
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...
who played as a forward
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
in the 1890s.
Early career
Born in JohnstoneJohnstone
Johnstone is a town in the council area of Renfrewshire and larger historic county of the same name in the west central Lowlands of Scotland.The town lies three miles west of neighbouring Paisley and twelve miles west of the centre of the city of Glasgow...
, he started his career as a youth player with Johnstone
Johnstone F.C.
Johnstone F.C. were a Scottish football club based at Newfield Park in Johnstone. The club were former members of the Scottish Football League....
before joining Abercorn
Abercorn F.C.
Abercorn Football Club was a football club based in Paisley, Scotland, which played in the Scottish Football League from 1890 until 1915. The team's strip colours were blue and white stripes. Abercorn were founder members of the Scottish Football League, but eventually could not compete with...
in 1887. Whilst on the books of Abercorn, he made his solitary international appearance for Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
on 21 March 1891 scoring in a 4–3 victory over Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
.
He then moved to 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...
to join the short-lived Sunderland Albion
Sunderland Albion F.C.
Sunderland Albion Football Club was an English association football club based in Sunderland, England formed in 1888 as a rival to Sunderland A.F.C.-Summary:...
.
Burnley
After Sunderland Albion disbanded in May 1892, he transferred to BurnleyBurnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
, playing in the Football League 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....
. In his first season he was top scorer (jointly with Billy Bowes
Billy Bowes
William "Billy" Bowes was a Scottish professional footballer who played as an inside forward.-References:...
) with eight goals from 22 appearances, helping Burnley to finish in sixth place, their highest league finish to date. The following season, Buchanan was less successful in front of goal with only four goals from his 18 appearances, but Burnley finished the season one place higher in the league table.
Woolwich Arsenal
In September 1894 he moved to join Woolwich ArsenalArsenal 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...
, for 1894–95, their second season in the Football League 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...
. Playing alongside Peter Mortimer and Paddy O'Brien
Patrick O'Brien (footballer)
Patrick O'Brien was a Scottish footballer.O'Brien started his career playing junior football in Glasgow, playing for Elm Park and Glasgow Northern, before making the move south to join London side Woolwich Arsenal in 1894...
, he contributed nine goals from his 25 appearances, which included a goal on his debut, in Arsenal's 4–2 win over 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...
on 29 September 1894. The following season
1895-96 in English football
The 1895–96 season was the 25th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Loughborough replaced Walsall Town Swifts in the Second Division.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour...
he made 17 appearances with seven goals, switching from centre forward to inside left. In total he scored 16 goals in 44 league and cup appearances for Arsenal.
Southampton
He moved to the south coast in the summer of 1896 to join Southern LeagueSouthern 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...
team Southampton St. Mary's
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
. The Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
public took to him immediately and his "never-give-up" attitude earned him the nickname "Death or Glory Bob". In his first season with the "Saints" he was ever-present, scoring eleven league goals as Southampton took the Southern League title for the first time. He scored a hat trick
Hat Trick
Hat trick, hat-trick or hattrick may refer to:* hat-trick — in various sports, achieving three goals, wickets, etc. in a single match* Hattrick — online football management game** Hattrick Limited — producers of this game...
in his second appearance, a 6–1 victory over Sheppey United
Sheppey United F.C.
Sheppey United F.C. is an English football club based on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. The club are currently members of Division One of the Kent County League and play at the Sheppey Sports Ground.-History:...
on 26 September 1896. He also helped Southampton reach Round 2 of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
for the first time, where they went out to Newton Heath
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...
after a replay.
The following season, he was top-scorer
Southampton F.C. seasons
This is a list of seasons played by Southampton Football Club in English and European football, from 1892 to the most recent completed season. The first six seasons are Southampton St. Mary's....
with ten league and six FA Cup goals as the Saints again took the Southern League championship. Saints also had a superb run in the FA Cup reaching the semi final
FA Cup Semi-finals
The FA Cup Semi-finals are played to determine which teams will contest the FA Cup Final. They are the penultimate phase of the FA Cup, the oldest football tournament in the world.- Location :...
where they went out in a replay 2–0 to Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
. In the cup run he scored "unlikely goals" against Leicester Fosse and Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
.
Although he remained with Southampton for the 1898–98 season, he only played twice. After 57 appearances for the Saints with 33 goals, he moved back to south-east London to join Sheppey United
Sheppey United F.C.
Sheppey United F.C. is an English football club based on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. The club are currently members of Division One of the Kent County League and play at the Sheppey Sports Ground.-History:...
.
Later life
On retiring from the game, he settled in South East London. He died prematurely in 1907 of unknown causes.Honours
SouthamptonSouthampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
- Southern LeagueSouthern Football LeagueThe 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...
championship: 1896–97Southern Football League 1896-97The 1896-97 season was the third in the history of the Southern League. Southampton St.Mary's won the Division One championship.-Division One:Division One featured five new clubs:*Gravesend United *Northfleet...
& 1897–98Southern Football League 1897-98The 1897–98 season was the fourth in the history of the Southern League. Southampton won the Division One championship for the second successive season.-Division One:Division One featured one new club, Bristol City, who were newly-elected....