Years Team Died August 1, 1908 Role Footballer | Name Charlie McEleny 1893–1895 Celtic | |
Full name Charles Richard McEleny Date of birth (1873-03-03)3 March 1873 Place of birth Raymoghy, County Donegal, Ireland Date of death 1 August 1908(1908-08-01) (aged 35) | ||
Charles Richard "Charlie" McEleny (3 March 1873 – 1 August 1908) was an Irish professional footballer who mostly played as a centre half.
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Football career
Born in Raymoghy, County Donegal, McEleny moved to Glasgow where he first played for Greenock Volunteers before joining Abercorn. 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. Charlie was the first ever Irish player to play for Glasgow Celtic.
In November 1895 he signed for English side Burnley where he made fifteen Football League appearances, before returning to Celtic in May 1896. Playing only a year he moved south again to play for New Brighton Tower. In his two spells at Celtic, McEleny played 34 games and scored once.
In May 1899, McEleny signed for Aston Villa where he played as a midfielder in his solitary first team appearance before leaving Villa in May 1900.
He then joined Swindon Town of the Southern League where he made a total of 48 appearances, scoring twice. He then had a spell at Brentford before returning to Scotland with Morton.
Later career and death
On quitting football he worked as a painter/decorator.
McEleny died on 1 August 1908 aged 35 at Smithston Poorhouse and Asylum, Greenock.