Leicester City’s youngest ever League player, David made his scoring debut (on the same day as Bobby Smith and Gary Lineker) at the age of 16 years and 192 days, as Jock Wallace turned to the juniors in his efforts to avert the spectre of a second successive relegation.
The slender, light-haired striker, a good close dribbler, yet direct justifiably became an immediate crowd favourite, but a succession of injuries and the club’s desire not to rush his development contriubuted to David suffering a degree of disentchantment and a loss of appetite for the game over the next few seasons.
Buchanan left Leicester City after falling down in the pecking order, and signed for Peterborough United, but it turned out unsuccessful at London Road and he dropped out of senior football altogether to build a career in leisure centre management, but his evident ability and increased maturity while playing part-time in Northern League (and winning England caps at semi-pro level) nudged Lawrie McMenemy into offering him another senior chance at Sunderland.
Nonetheless, by the age of 28, David had definitively retired from the game, but he is well remembered in Scandinavia for the goals and great appearances v. Norwich City in the FA Cup (alongside a classy Keith Weller in white underwear) and shortly after v. Newcastle in the league, both games live on telly as frozen pitches stopped most events from being played in the top flight at the time.
FACTFILE:
- Full Name: David Buchanan
- Position: Forward
- Date of Birth: 23.06.1962
- Birthplace: Feltham
- Nation: England
- Caps / Goals: –
- Major League Career:
- 1979-83, Leicester City (33/7)
- 1983-84, Peterborough United (16/4)
- 1986-88, Sunderland (34/8)
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