| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Charles Richard McEleny | ||
| Date of birth | 3 March 1873 | ||
| Place of birth | Raymoghy, County Donegal, Ireland | ||
| Date of death | 1 August 1908 (aged 35) | ||
| Playing position | Centre half | ||
| Youth career | |||
| – | Greenock Volunteers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| – | Abercorn | ||
| 1893–1895 | Celtic | ||
| 1895–1896 | Burnley | 15 | (1) |
| 1896–1898 | Celtic | ||
| 1898–1899 | New Brighton Tower | 31 | (0) |
| 1899–1900 | Aston Villa | 1 | (0) |
| 1900–1901 | Swindon Town | 29 | (1) |
| – | Brentford | ||
| – | Greenock Morton | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Charles Richard "Charlie" McEleny (3 March 1873 – 1 August 1908) was an Irish professional footballer who mostly played as a centre half.
Born in Raymoghy, County Donegal, McEleny moved to Glasgow 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.[2] Charlie was the first ever Irish player to play for Glasgow Celtic.[3]
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.[1] In his two spells at Celtic, McEleny played 34 games and scored once.[2]
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.[4]
He then joined Swindon Town of the Southern League where he made a total of 48 appearances, scoring twice.[5] He then had a spell at Brentford before returning to Scotland with Greenock Morton.[1]
On quitting football he worked as a painter/decorator.[2]
McEleny died on 1 August 1908 aged 35 at Smithston Poorhouse and Asylum, Greenock.[2][6]