As a football fan growing up in the sixties and seventies, one Christmas present that always seemed to find its way into my Christmas stocking was a football annual, whether it be ‘The Boys’ Book of Soccer’, ‘Topical Times Football Book’, ‘All Star Football Book’ or my favourite ‘Charles Buchan’s Soccer Gift Book’
As a collector of West Ham football memorabilia, Christmas wouldn’t be complete unless there was at least another football offering tucked away in my present pile under the tree, that’s of course if one of my four aunties and an uncle remembered I liked football and not the Beano or Dandy.
Charles Buchan was born on 22 September 1891 in Plumstead, London, and was best known for playing for Sunderland. Buchan started his football career as an amateur with Woolwich Arsenal in 1909, although he never made a first team appearance for the Gunners. He declined to sign a professional contact with the north London club and moved to Northfleet United where we won Kent Senior Cup, Kent League and Thames and Medway Combination medals. A year later the centre-forward joined Southern League side Leyton where he was later spotted by the ‘Black Cats’ and signed for them in 1911. His stay on Tyne and Wear lasted until 1925, having chalked up 379 League appearances and scored 209 goals he turned full circle by returning to north London and signed for Arsenal for £2,000.
After hanging up his football boots he became a successful football journalist with the Daily News. From September 1951 until his death in 1960 aged 68, he edited his own football magazine, ‘Charles Buchan’s Football Monthly.
Illustrated is this Charles Buchan’s Football Annual which dates from the 1964-65 season, and features on the front cover an action image of West Ham United players Jack Burkett, Martin Peters and Bobby Moore playing at Anfield against Liverpool. Centre-half Ken Brown adorns the inside title page and within the annual pages the Hammers are well represented, more than any other football club.