25 June 1960 - Buchan's Goodbye

On 25 June 1960, former Sunderland and Arsenal forward Charlie Buchan died in Monte Carlo at the age of 68. One of the best footballers of his age, he is also remembered for his post-playing career as a football journalist and editor of Charlie Buchan's Football Monthly.

Born in Plumstead, London, Buchan began his career in 1909 as an amateur with Woolwich Arsenal, but left the club over a disagreement with the manager about expenses. In 1911, he signed with Sunderland and proceeded to win the league with them in 1913. That same year, Sunderland advanced to the FA Cup Final, but lost to Aston Villa 1-0.

Buchan made 370 league appearances for Sunderland between 1911 and 1925 (a period interrupted by World War I), and was their leading scorer in seven of those seasons. In 1925, he returned to Arsenal (who had dropped the "Woolwich" by then). He returned to the FA Cup Final with them in 1927, but was again on the losing side.

By the time he retired in 1928, he had scored 257 league goals, making him the Football League's all-time sixth-highest goalscorer. But he contributed more than goals, helping Arsenal manager Herbert Chapman develop the influential new W-M formation that led to great success for the Gunners in the 1930s.

After his playing days ended, he turned to journalism, writing for the Daily News and co-founding the Football Writer's Association. In September 1951, he started Charlie Buchan's Football Monthly, which ran until June 1974, fourteen years after his death.

15 February 1913 - Black And Tans On The House!

On 15 February 1913, Irish debutant Billy Gillespie (pictured) scored his first two international goals, giving his side a 2-1 victory over England in the 1913 British Home Championship. The win was Ireland's first ever over England in 32 matches.

The match was played at Windsor Park in Belfast before a crowd of 20,000. It was England's first contest in that year's tournament, while Ireland had already played one match, a 0-1 loss to Wales on 18 January.

England gained the early advantage with a 35th-minute strike from winger Charlie Buchan, but Gillespie brought the hosts level in the 43rd minute, then put them ahead for good seventeen minutes later. Unfortunately for Ireland, it was their only win of the tournament and they finished in last place after a 1-2 loss to Scotland. England rallied to win their last two matches, 4-3 over Wales and 1-0 over Scotland, to finish in first place. Ireland and Gillespie would gain some revenge the following season, however, beating England 3-0 on their way to the BHC title, the first outright title won by Ireland.

Gillespie, an inside forward who played his club ball for Sheffield United, would go on to become Ireland's most-capped player with 25 appearances and score a total of thirteen goals--a record that would not be tied until 1992 (by Colin Clarke) and not broken until 2004 (by David Healy).

13 October 1928 - Jack Doesn't Come For Jack

On 13 October 1928, Arsenal set a world transfer fee record when they signed forward David Jack from Bolton for £10,890.

Jack had been with Bolton for eight years, scoring 144 goals in 295 league appearances and winning the FA Cup in 1923 and 1926 (he scored the winner in the latter). But by 1928, the team had become strapped for cash and were looking to sell. Arsenal, meanwhile, were in the market to replace forward Charlie Buchan, who had retired at the end of the previous season.

When Arsenal manager Herbert Chapman first approached Bolton, they agreed to the transfer for a fee of £13,000—which would have doubled the record at the time, set when Sunderland bought Bob Kelly from Burnley for £6,500 in 1925. According to club legend, Chapman met with Bolton representatives in a London restaurant, where he instructed the bartender to secretly leave the alcohol out of his drinks. While the others at the meeting proceeded to get drunk, Chapman remained sober and used the advantage to negotiate the purchase price down, though it still set a new world record.

Jack remained with Arsenal for six seasons, scoring 113 goals in 181 league appearances and winning the club's first FA Cup in 1930. In the 1930-31 season, he scored 31 goals to help the club to their first league title, then won additional league titles with them in 1933 and 1934 before retiring at the end of the 1933-34 season.

[For more about the transfer, including different stories about the negotiation, visit http://www.blog.woolwicharsenal.co.uk/archives/4770.]

25 June 1960 - Buchan's Goodbye

On 25 June 1960, former Sunderland and Arsenal forward Charlie Buchan died in Monte Carlo at the age of 68. One of the best footballers of his age, he is also remembered for his post-playing career as a football journalist and editor of Charlie Buchan's Football Monthly.

Born in Plumstead, London, Buchan began his career in 1909 as an amateur with Woolwich Arsenal, but left the club over a disagreement with the manager about expenses. In 1911, he signed with Sunderland and proceeded to win the league with them in 1913. That same year, Sunderland advanced to the FA Cup Final, but lost to Aston Villa 1-0.

Buchan made 370 league appearances for Sunderland between 1911 and 1925 (a period interrupted by World War I), and was their leading scorer in seven of those seasons. In 1925, he returned to Arsenal (who had dropped the "Woolwich" by then). He returned to the FA Cup Final with them in 1927, but was again on the losing side.

By the time he retired in 1928, he had scored 257 league goals, making him the Football League's all-time sixth-highest goalscorer. But he contributed more than goals, helping Arsenal manager Herbert Chapman develop the influential new W-M formation that led to great success for the Gunners in the 1930s.

After his playing days ended, he turned to journalism, writing for the Daily News and co-founding the Football Writer's Association. In September 1951, he started Charlie Buchan's Football Monthly, which ran until June 1974, fourteen years after his death.

15 February 1913 - Black And Tans On The House!

On 15 February 1913, Irish debutant Billy Gillespie (pictured) scored his first two international goals, giving his side a 2-1 victory over England in the 1913 British Home Championship. The win was Ireland's first ever over England in 32 matches.

The match was played at Windsor Park in Belfast before a crowd of 20,000. It was England's first contest in that year's tournament, while Ireland had already played one match, a 0-1 loss to Wales on 18 January.

England gained the early advantage with a 35th-minute strike from winger Charlie Buchan, but Gillespie brought the hosts level in the 43rd minute, then put them ahead for good seventeen minutes later. Unfortunately for Ireland, it was their only win of the tournament and they finished in last place after a 1-2 loss to Scotland. England rallied to win their last two matches, 4-3 over Wales and 1-0 over Scotland, to finish in first place. Ireland and Gillespie would gain some revenge the following season, however, beating England 3-0 on their way to the BHC title, the first outright title won by Ireland.

Gillespie, an inside forward who played his club ball for Sheffield United, would go on to become Ireland's most-capped player with 25 appearances and score a total of thirteen goals--a record that would not be tied until 1992 (by Colin Clarke) and not broken until 2004 (by David Healy).