Charlie Buchan’s Arsenal career started in 1909 but it only really got going in 1925.
The Plumstead-born striker joined Woolwich Arsenal as an amateur aged 18 but only appeared for the Reserves before moving on to Leyton.
However, after less than a year with his new club, Buchan was spotted by Sunderland and was duly signed in 1911.
The elegant centre forward spent 14 years on Wearside winning the First Division title in 1912/13 and earning England honours.
In 1925, at nearly 34 years of age, Buchan was re-signed by Herbert Chapman and finally made his debut for Arsenal in a North London derby on August 29.
Despite his age, Charlie was a near ever-present in Chapman’s forward line, hitting 56 goals in 120 starts. He also captained the Gunners to their first FA Cup Final in 1927 which they famously lost to Cardiff.
Buchan retired from football in 1928 and went on to become a journalist with the Daily News before co-founding the Football Writers’ Association in 1947.
WHAT THE FANS SAID
"These are memories from my father and my grandfather. The story I got was that Buchan came to Arsenal as a reserve in 1909, and played against Croydon Common. What is often not reported however is that Croydon Common was a club owned by Norris - who in 1909 also owned Fulham and in 1910 took over Woolwich Arsenal. Norris at Fulham and Woolwich is well recorded, but because Croydon were a Southern League team that were wound up for the First World War and never returned after the hostilities. The reason was that by then Norris (who had also looked at buying Reading FC) was fully occupied with Arsenal. Buchan stood up to Norris, and his demands for expenses are well recorded. One of the few people who were a match for Norris."
Tony Atwood, Corby
