Buxton started his career at Derby County, helping them to an 18th-place finish in the Second Division in 1959–60.[2] Making his debut under Harry Storer, he scored twice in a 3–1 home win over Ipswich Town.[2] He proved to be "adept at holding the ball and bringing others into play."[2] The "Rams" then rose to 12th in 1960–61, before dropping to 16th in 1961–62. Derby finished 18th again 1962–63 under new boss Tim Ward, just five points ahead of relegatedWalsall. They rallied to 13th in 1963–64, before posting ninth and eighth-place finishes in 1964–65 and 1965–66. Derby then dropped to 17th in 1966–67, just six points above relegated Northampton Town. However, managerBrian Clough was not comfortable with a player splitting his loyalties between football and cricket, and so he moved Buxton on.[3]
He signed with Notts County of the Fourth Division for the 1969–70 campaign, but played just five games at Meadow Lane. In a three-month arrangement, he joined Port Vale] in December 1969.[1] He scored on his debut at inside-left, a 1–0 win over Oldham Athletic at Vale Park on 13 December, and was a regular throughout the rest of the club's 1969–70 promotion winning side.[1] The club paid the £500 registration fee to sign him permanently, knowing that his cricket commitments meant he missed the last four games anyway.[1] However, he retired from football at the end of that season to focus on his cricket.[1] He scored six goals in eighteen games for Gordon Lee's "Valiants".[1] He soon came out of retirement though, joining Ilkeston Town in July 1970.[1]
Buxton's career with Derbyshire started in the Second XI in the 1959 season. Later in the same season, he played his debut match against Yorkshire, taking three wickets. He took his first five-wicket haul during the season, as Derbyshire finished in a promising seventh place in the championship.
Though his averages were somewhat down in the following season, it was his first of two ten-wicket hauls in 1961 which truly brought him to the attention of the selectors, as he finished with match figures of 10/104 against Warwickshire. Buxton was a first-choice player in the team over the next four seasons when he posted one more ten-wicket match against Worcestershire in June 1968.
Buxton was captain of Derbyshire between 1970 and 1972. He was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-pace bowler. He was a consistent middle-order batsman whose skill with the ball helped him to gain a first-team place and, between 1970 and 1972, the Derbyshire club captaincy. He played 350 first-class matches with the Derbyshire first team before retiring in 1973.
Later life and death
He made a cricket comeback some 20 years after retiring from playing, serving on the committee for several years during the 1990s. He was married to Doreen and had two children as well as five grandchildren.[2] He died, aged 72, at his Matlock home on 1 October 2010.[2]
