Born in Cowley, England, Buckingham had spells in the youth and reserve teams of English sides Reading and Oxford United. A professional career did not materialise, and Buckingham subsequently joined Oxford & Cherwell Valley College in a full-time coaching and teaching role over a four-year period.
Coaching career
Oxford United
Buckingham began his professional coaching career at Oxford United at the age of 18, initially working through the club's age-group squads. At the start of the 2013–14 English Football League season, he progressed as a coach into the first team under then-manager Chris Wilder. In his time at the club, Buckingham was able to support the transition of 24 players from the youth ranks into their first professional contracts.
Buckingham joined the Wellington Phoenix during the 2014–15 A-League season under head coach Ernie Merrick. On 1 January 2017, following the resignation of Merrick, he was appointed as manager until the end of the season. At 31 years of age, he became the youngest manager in A-League history and was able to lift the club off the bottom of the table, finishing one place outside the playoffs at the end of the season.
In July, 2017 Buckingham was granted permission to leave Wellington Phoenix and take up a role at then-Premier League club Stoke City, as an assistant coach with their U-23 team.
A return to New Zealand in 2018 saw Buckingham appointed as head coach of the New Zealand U20 team and assistant manager of the senior national team. In August, 2018 he led the Team to the 2018 OFC U-19 Championship, qualifying for the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup. At the World Cup, Buckingham’s New Zealand side recorded their highest ever finish at a men's FIFA event, eventually being knocked out by Colombia in the round of 16 after a controversial penalty shoot-out. The Team posted New Zealand’s biggest ever win at a FIFA tournament beating Honduras 5-0, became the first New Zealand Team to win back to back games at a FIFA World Cup and recorded their first ever win over European opposition, beating Norway 2-0. The New Zealand U20 Team had previously won only 2 games in 17 attempts at the same event and Buckingham earned plaudits for the Teams quality of football and style of play. Former All WhitesHead CoachRicki Herbert and FIFA Legend Wynton Rufer praised the notable change in the Teams positive and attacking approach to winning games rarely seen before. Despite being linked and with interest from English Football League and A-League Clubs in his services,Buckingham accepted the Head Coach position to the New Zealand U23 Team in June 2019, leading the side into the 2019 Pacific Games and OFC Olympic Qualifying Tournament. He guided New Zealand to its first-ever win at the 2019Pacific Games, leading a U-23 side through an otherwise senior international competition undefeated, drawing one and winning four, including the final against three-time defending champions New Caledonia. In September 2019, the New Zealand U-23 side played out two draws against their Australian counterparts in the lead up to the OFC Olympic Qualifying Tournament. On 5 October 2019, Buckingham led New Zealand to its third Olympic Games, qualifying for Tokyo 2020 by winning the OFC U-23 Championship. In doing so, the team became the most dominant men’s side to have played in an Oceania Football Confederation competition by winning all five games and finishing with a goal difference of +29. The New Zealand U23 side remain unbeaten, winning nine and drawing three of its 12 games while overall in 23 games. New Zealand Football announced that Buckingham's role as coach of the under-23 side was over in April 2020, after delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the postponement of the 2020 Summer Olympics. He was replaced by Danny Hay.
Personal life
Buckingham is a qualified pilot, and holds a Master's degree in advanced performance football coaching through the University of South Wales. He was inducted into the 2019 edition of the High Performance Sport New Zealand Coach Accelerator Programme; a three year programme aimed at developing and increasing New Zealand’s pool of world-class coaches.
