Book review; The authorised biography of Bobby Buckle. Spurs founder and first Captain.
This man is close to my heart. Not just because I am a Spurs supporter, but my dad, his dad (my grandfather) and his father had all known him. My father only met him once before the war. My grandad and his dad were more intimate with him.
My grandfather or his dad had a connection with the early Spurs. I had inherited programmes, memorabilia and diaries from those early days. Sadly, they no longer exist. Anyway, this isn’t about my family or me, but about the legend that is, Bobby Buckle.
Reading this book (by Christopher South and forwarded by Spurs legend Steve Perryman) gave me an out of life ghostly feeling, it felt like I could touch those times as I made my way through its pages (they came alive). Buckle’s name will live on in the annuals of Spurs forever. Apart from the words, many beautiful pictures throughout the book that also gives you that connection to him, his family and life.
Suddenly after so many years of devotion to his creation (our club), he upped and left. Whether he went back and glimpsed nobody knows, we can only speculate.
For those who are unfamiliar with this legend, let me give you a brief résumé.
Bobby Buckle was born in 1869 (13 years before the creation of his club). He was one of eleven schoolboys who founded the Hotspur Football Club.
Buckle wasn’t just the founder of our great club but was also designated the very first ever Captain of the Spurs. This was at its inception, only seven weeks before his 14th birthday. He was also featured in the club’s first-ever known line-up and, to-boot was Tottenham’s first-ever recorded goalscorer. This was on the 20th Ocotober1883. Granted, he might not have been the very first, however, as there are no earlier records, then for all intents and purposes, he was our first goalscorer—what a career, what a record!
During his playing career for us – between 1882 and 1895 – he scored (what is recorded) 25 goals in 53 appearances. No doubt a lot higher if the unrecorded games were known.
He played many roles within his club, important event-days in the early years. He also served on the committee from 1884, and in 1890 he was appointed honorary secretary and treasurer and was eventually elected to the first board of directors in 1898. This was 16 years after the club’s formation.
But two years later, after becoming a director, he resigned from the board. He had overseen the adoption of professional football, the formation of a limited company and the move from Northumberland Park to the old White Hart Lane stadium.
He died in 1959.
I thoroughly recommend this book to you. Whether you are a Spurs supporter or not, you’ll enjoy reading about how one of the world’s greatest clubs came into existence and the life of its creator and a true Spurs legend.
I think the time has now come to commemorate him in a statue at the ground. All other clubs have monuments to their great players, we’ve got nothing. Not even to any of the Spurs legends. And if there is then it is out of sight to the ordinary supporter. Bobby Buckle will live on/ should live on well after the Levy’s, Sugars, Wale’s, Scholars etc. of this world have gone, disappeared in a whirl of smoke. If it wasn’t for Bobby Buckle there would be no Daniel Levy, Bill Nicholson or even White Hart Lane, and certainly no new Tottenham Stadium or even me. Not that I would be dead, just a lone, sad, wandering figure, moving with no purpose or focus throughout my life.
Best Regard, Glenn
My name is Glenn Renshaw.
I am currently a Premium Season Ticket holder (West Stand) in the new stadium. Before that – at White Hart Lane – a season ticket holder in various parts of the ground (mainly in the North stand).
Before becoming a season ticket holder, I stood on the shelf and various other parts of the ground since the 1950s. In 1987 I became one of the first to hold a Spurs Membership card. I was also a life long member of the Spurs supporters club (now defunct).
I go to all home, away and abroad matches.
I was born in 1955, Edgware, London (it was in the late 50s – as a baby – that my dad took me to Spurs to initiate me). I currently live in Berkshire.
I also collect all Spurs books (and have everyone printed), Spurs handbooks (from 1920s onwards, Spurs programmes (since the 40s).
Previously, I wrote for Spurs Fanzines: The Spur, Spur of the Moment, My Eyes have seen the Glory and various other Spurs fanzines’. I also wrote for the SpursWeb app & its website.
I currently write and work for spursnetwork.com and its website. I write its Reviews & Match reports and a lot more.
My other interests are; reading, history, social history, Politics, going to the gym, wine, going out for a meal, music (all sorts), writing, theatre, concerts, going on holidays, socialising etc.
I have been writing blogs/ articles since 1989
If you wish to read more of my blog, please click “here”
