Charles Richard McEleny (3 March 1874 – 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 (1874-03-03)3 March 1874
Place of birth Raymoghy, Ireland
Date of death 1 August 1908(1908-08-01) (aged 34)[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)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Football career

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Born 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

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

McEleny died on 1 August 1908 aged 34 at Smithston, Greenock.[3][9]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 185. ISBN 978-1905891610.
  2. ^ Litster, John. Record of Pre-War Scottish League Players. Norwich: PM Publications.
  3. ^ a b c "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.[dead link]

Intimations 1901-1909 https://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/assets/attach/5121/Intimations-1901-1909.pdf