Charles Richard McEleny (3 March 1874 – 1 August 1908) was an Irish professional footballer who mostly played as a centre half.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Charles Richard McEleny[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 3 March 1874 | ||
| Place of birth | Raymoghy, Ireland | ||
| Date of death | 1 August 1908 (aged 34)[2] | ||
| Place of death | Greenock, Scotland | ||
| Position(s) | Centre half | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Greenock Volunteers | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| –1893 | Abercorn | ||
| 1893–1895 | Celtic | 4 | (0) |
| 1895–1896 | Burnley | 15 | (1) |
| 1896–1898 | Celtic | 13 | (1) |
| 1898–1899 | New Brighton Tower | 31 | (0) |
| 1899–1900 | Aston Villa | 1 | (0) |
| 1900–1901 | Swindon Town | 29 | (1) |
| 1901–1902 | Brentford | 26 | (1) |
| 1902 | Morton | 3 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Football career
editBorn in Raymoghy, County Donegal, McEleny moved to Scotland where he first played for Greenock Volunteers before joining Abercorn.[1] He signed for Celtic in November 1893 and played his first match on 4 November in a 3–1 league victory against Dundee at Parkhead. McEleny was a strong and powerful centre half and established himself as a first team regular.[3] Charlie was the first ever Irish born player to play for Glasgow Celtic.[4]
In November 1895 he signed for English side Burnley where he made 15 Football League appearances,[1] before returning to Celtic in May 1896. Playing only a year he moved south again to play for New Brighton Tower.[1] In his two spells at Celtic, McEleny played 41 games and scored once.[5]
In May 1899, McEleny signed for Aston Villa where he played as a half back in his solitary first team appearance before leaving Villa in May 1900.[6]
He then joined Swindon Town of the Southern League where he made a total of 48 appearances, scoring twice.[7] He then had a spell at Brentford before returning to Scotland with Morton.[1][8]
Later career and death
editOn quitting football he worked as a painter/decorator.[3]
McEleny died on 1 August 1908 aged 34 at Smithston, Greenock.[3][9]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 185. ISBN 978-1905891610.
- ^ Litster, John. Record of Pre-War Scottish League Players. Norwich: PM Publications.
- ^ a b c "McEleny, Charles". Celtic player biographies. thecelticwiki. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
- ^ Irish Footballers : Glasgow Celtic : players from Republic of Ireland & Northern Ireland : Played for Celtic
- ^ "Celtic Player Charles McEleny Details". www.fitbastats.com. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
- ^ "Charlie McEleny". Aston Villa player database. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
- ^ "Charlie McEleny profile". Swindon Town FC. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
- ^ White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 356. ISBN 0951526200.
- ^ "Births, Marriages and Deaths Index: Macdonald to McEvoy" (PDF). Watt Library, Greenock. pp. 102–103. Retrieved 2 September 2010.[dead link]
Intimations 1901-1909 https://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/assets/attach/5121/Intimations-1901-1909.pdf