Vic Buckingham
Encyclopedia
Victor Frederick Buckingham (23 October 1915 – 26 January 1995) was an English
footballer whose approach as a manager was a precursor of the Total Football
philosophy.
Buckingham joined Tottenham Hotspur
in 1934 and played the first season (1934-35) for Tottenham Hotspur nursery club Northfleet United. After that single season he returned to Tottenham and played 230 games as a defensive midfielder before leaving in 1949. He started his managerial career with amateur team Pegasus followed by Bradford Park Avenue
, then a Football League side, before taking over at West Bromwich Albion
in 1953. He became the club's longest serving post-war manager, almost leading them to an elusive 'double
' in 1954 when they won the FA Cup
and finished second in the league.
During his management of Ajax
, he spotted the young Johan Cruijff who was to go on to develop Buckingham's ideas into the mature concept of Total Football
. Buckingham's ideas were radically ahead of his time - engendering total football philosophies and youth systems - and earned him a continental reputation (especially in Spain where he was appointed coach of Sevilla FC
and then FC Barcelona
) that more often than not, overshadowed his talent back home.
However, his reputation in his native country was tarnished by his association with match fixing
in the British betting scandal of 1964
, revealed shortly after his spell as manager of Sheffield Wednesday. Although the allegations were never proven against him, three of his players at Wednesday – Peter Swan, Tony Kay
and David Layne
– were accused of taking bribes to fix a match with Ipswich Town
on December 1, 1962, and betting on their team to lose.http://www.footballrefugees.com/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=4612
While Buckingham was one of the first English managers to coach top European sides like Ajax Amsterdam
and FC Barcelona, and has Johan Cruyff as one of his biggest fans, he remained largely unremembered in his native England.
He died in Chichester
, England
in 1995.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer whose approach as a manager was a precursor of the Total Football
Total Football
"Total Football" is the label given to an influential tactical theory of association football in which any outfield player can take over the role of any other player in a team. It was pioneered by Dutch football club Ajax from 1969 to 1973, and further used by the Netherlands National Football...
philosophy.
Buckingham joined Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
in 1934 and played the first season (1934-35) for Tottenham Hotspur nursery club Northfleet United. After that single season he returned to Tottenham and played 230 games as a defensive midfielder before leaving in 1949. He started his managerial career with amateur team Pegasus followed by Bradford Park Avenue
Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.
Bradford Association Football Club, previously also known as Bradford and since its reformation in the 1970s now referred to as Bradford Park Avenue, is a football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England...
, then a Football League side, before taking over at West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
in 1953. He became the club's longest serving post-war manager, almost leading them to an elusive 'double
The Double
The Double is a term in association football which refers to winning a country's top tier division and its primary cup competition in the same season...
' in 1954 when they won the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
and finished second in the league.
During his management of Ajax
Ajax Amsterdam
Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax , also referred to as AFC Ajax, Ajax Amsterdam or simply Ajax , is a professional football club from Amsterdam, Netherlands...
, he spotted the young Johan Cruijff who was to go on to develop Buckingham's ideas into the mature concept of Total Football
Total Football
"Total Football" is the label given to an influential tactical theory of association football in which any outfield player can take over the role of any other player in a team. It was pioneered by Dutch football club Ajax from 1969 to 1973, and further used by the Netherlands National Football...
. Buckingham's ideas were radically ahead of his time - engendering total football philosophies and youth systems - and earned him a continental reputation (especially in Spain where he was appointed coach of Sevilla FC
Sevilla FC
Sevilla Fútbol Club S.A.D. is a Spanish professional football club based in Seville, Spain that plays in the Spanish La Liga championship.They are one of the most successful clubs in Spanish football having won a 1 La Liga title, 5 Spanish "Copa del Rey" Cups, 1 Spanish Super Cup and 2 UEFA...
and then FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
) that more often than not, overshadowed his talent back home.
However, his reputation in his native country was tarnished by his association with match fixing
Match fixing
In organised sports, match fixing, game fixing, race fixing, or sports fixing occurs as a match is played to a completely or partially pre-determined result, violating the rules of the game and often the law. Where the sporting competition in question is a race then the incident is referred to as...
in the British betting scandal of 1964
British betting scandal of 1964
The British betting scandal of 1964 was a scandal in English association football in which eight professional players were jailed for offences arising from match fixing....
, revealed shortly after his spell as manager of Sheffield Wednesday. Although the allegations were never proven against him, three of his players at Wednesday – Peter Swan, Tony Kay
Tony Kay
Anthony Herbert Kay is a former English footballer who became notorious after being banned from the professional game for life following the British betting scandal of 1964....
and David Layne
David Layne
David "Bronco" Layne is a former English footballer most famous for playing for Sheffield Wednesday and his involvement in the British betting scandal of 1964....
– were accused of taking bribes to fix a match with Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
on December 1, 1962, and betting on their team to lose.http://www.footballrefugees.com/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=4612
While Buckingham was one of the first English managers to coach top European sides like Ajax Amsterdam
Ajax Amsterdam
Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax , also referred to as AFC Ajax, Ajax Amsterdam or simply Ajax , is a professional football club from Amsterdam, Netherlands...
and FC Barcelona, and has Johan Cruyff as one of his biggest fans, he remained largely unremembered in his native England.
He died in Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1995.