Career
As a youth, Buchanan played junior football with Bellstone Birds and Winchburgh Violet, before joining Broxburn United. Throughout his early career, he played predominantly as a centre forward, but was converted to an outside forward when he signed for Hibernian in December 1920. During his time at Easter Road, Buchanan was an understudy to the Scottish international Harry Ritchie.
In May 1924, Buchanan moved to England to join Football League Third Division South club Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic, although he briefly returned to Scotland in June 1925 for a loan spell with Raith Rovers.
In four seasons with Bournemouth, he made 65 league appearances and scored 10 goals. Buchanan returned to Scotland when he joined East Stirlingshire in August 1928, but his stay was again fleeting as he moved back to England to play for Third Division North outfit Nelson the following month.
He made his debut for Nelson on 13 October 1928 in the 3–4 defeat to Barrow at Seedhill. He went on to make 32 appearances for Nelson during the 1928-1929 campaign, scoring six goals, including two penalty kicks.
During the following season, he scored a further nine league goals in 34 matches, including a brace in the 3–1 victory over York City on 14 September 1929.
Buchanan played his final game for Nelson on 3 May 1930, in the 5-1 loss away at Wrexham. Upon leaving Nelson, Buchanan moved into English non-league football with Clitheroe. However, after a short spell with the club he returned to the Third Division North with Accrington Stanley in October 1930.
However, in three months with the side he failed to make a single first-team appearance and subsequently moved to Ireland to play for Bray Unknowns.
Buchanan then had a three-year spell with Shamrock Rovers between August 1932 and August 1935 scoring in the 1932-1933 Final. He ended his career with Bangor, retiring at the culmination of the 1935-1936 season.
