buckley first got his break in the professional game with west bromwich albion as an academy player in 1996, this was while his father, alan buckley was the club's manager. with limited chances though he failed to make the grade and step up to the first team at albion, prompting buckley to eventually follow his father to grimsby town in 1997, when alan re-took the managerial post at blundell park for the second time.