Charlie McEleny

Charles Richard McEleny (3 March 1873 – 1 August 1908) was an Irish professional footballer who mostly played as a centre half.

Charlie McEleny
Personal information
Full name Charles Richard McEleny[1]
Date of birth (1873-03-03)3 March 1873
Place of birth Raymoghy, Ireland
Date of death 1 August 1908(1908-08-01) (aged 35)[2]
Place of death Greenock, Scotland
Position(s) Centre half
Youth career
Greenock Volunteers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
0000–1893 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)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Football career

Born in Raymoghy, County Donegal, McEleny moved to Glasgow 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 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

On quitting football he worked as a painter/decorator.[3]

McEleny died on 1 August 1908 aged 35 at Smithston Poorhouse and Asylum, Greenock.[3][9]

References
  1. Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 185. ISBN 190589161X.
  2. Litster, John. Record of Pre-War Scottish League Players. Norwich: PM Publications.
  3. "McEleny, Charles". Celtic player biographies. thecelticwiki. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  4. Irish Footballers : Glasgow Celtic : players from Republic of Ireland & Northern Ireland : Played for Celtic
  5. "Celtic Player Charles McEleny Details". www.fitbastats.com. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
  6. "Charlie McEleny". Aston Villa player database. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
  7. "Charlie McEleny profile". Swindon Town FC. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
  8. White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 356. ISBN 0951526200.
  9. "Births, Marriages and Deaths Index: Macdonald to McEvoy" (PDF). Watt Library, Greenock. pp. 102–103. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
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