Charlie McEleny
{{Short description|Irish footballer (1874–1908)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2017}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Charlie McEleny
| fullname = Charles Richard McEleny
| birth_date = {{birth date|1874|03|03|df=y}}
| birth_place = Raymoghy, Ireland
| death_date = {{death date and age|1908|08|01|1874|03|03|df=y}}{{Cite book |title=Record of Pre-War Scottish League Players |last=Litster |first=John |publisher=PM Publications |location=Norwich}}
| death_place = Greenock, Scotland
| position = Centre half
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Greenock Volunteers
| years1 = {{0|0000}}–1893
| clubs1 = Abercorn
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| years2 = 1893–1895
| clubs2 = Celtic
| caps2 = 4
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 1895–1896
| clubs3 = Burnley
| caps3 = 15
| goals3 = 1
| years4 = 1896–1898
| clubs4 = Celtic
| caps4 = 13
| goals4 = 1
| years5 = 1898–1899
| clubs5 = New Brighton Tower
| caps5 = 31
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 1899–1900
| clubs6 = Aston Villa
| caps6 = 1
| goals6 = 0
| years7 = 1900–1901
| clubs7 = Swindon Town
| caps7 = 29
| goals7 = 1
| years8 = 1901–1902
| clubs8 = Brentford
| caps8 = 26
| goals8 = 1
| years9 = 1902
| clubs9 = Morton
| caps9 = 3
| goals9 = 0
}}
Charles Richard McEleny (3 March 1874 – 1 August 1908) was an Irish professional footballer who mostly played as a centre half.
Football career
Born in Raymoghy, County Donegal, McEleny moved to Scotland 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 born player to play for Glasgow Celtic.[http://www.soccer-ireland.com/glasgow-celtic/irish-players/index.htm Irish Footballers : Glasgow Celtic : players from Republic of Ireland & Northern Ireland : Played for Celtic]
In November 1895 he signed for English side Burnley where he made 15 Football League appearances, before returning to Celtic in May 1896. Playing only a year he moved south again to play for New Brighton Tower.{{Cite book|title = Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939|last = Joyce|first = Michael|publisher = Tony Brown|year = 2012|isbn = 978-1905891610|location = Nottingham|page = 185}} In his two spells at Celtic, McEleny played 41 games and scored once.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fitbastats.com/celtic/player.php?playerid=2229|title=Celtic Player Charles McEleny Details|website=www.fitbastats.com|access-date=27 December 2018}}
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.{{cite web|title=Charlie McEleny|url=http://astonvillaplayerdatabase.com/843.html|work=Aston Villa player database|access-date=2 September 2010}}
He then joined Swindon Town of the Southern League where he made a total of 48 appearances, scoring twice.{{cite web|title=Charlie McEleny profile|url=http://www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk/Person.asp?PersonID=MCELENYC|publisher=Swindon Town FC|access-date=2 September 2010}} He then had a spell at Brentford before returning to Scotland with Morton.{{Cite book|title=100 Years Of Brentford|publisher=Brentford FC|year=1989|isbn=0951526200|editor-last=White|editor-first=Eric|page=356}}
Later career and death
On quitting football he worked as a painter/decorator.
McEleny died on 1 August 1908 aged 34 at Smithston, Greenock.{{cite web|title=McEleny, Charles |url=http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/McEleny%2C+Charles|work=Celtic player biographies|publisher=thecelticwiki|access-date=1 September 2010}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/GetAsset.aspx?id=fAAzADQAMgA4AHwAfABGAGEAbABzAGUAfAB8ADAAfAA1 |title=Births, Marriages and Deaths Index: Macdonald to McEvoy |publisher=Watt Library, Greenock |pages=102–103 |format=PDF |access-date=2 September 2010}}{{Dead link|date=October 2015}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McEleny, Charlie}}
Category:Irish association footballers (before 1923)
Category:Men's association football central defenders
Category:New Brighton Tower F.C. players
Category:Aston Villa F.C. players
Category:Swindon Town F.C. players
Category:Brentford F.C. players
Category:Greenock Morton F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Scottish Football League players
Category:Association footballers from County Donegal
Category:Southern Football League players
Category:Abercorn F.C. players
[https://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/assets/attach/5121/Intimations-1901-1909.pdf Intimations 1901-1909 https://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/assets/attach/5121/Intimations-1901-1909.pdf]