[2] A longtime Warriors scholarship player, who playing in the 1995 Lion Red Cup Grand Final loss, he played two Super League first grade games under coach John Monie in early 1997.
[citation needed] In the late 1990s Buckingham left Glenora after a dispute over match payments.
[2] He then joined the Mt Albert Lions, a club he was to enjoy great success with.
In the seven years of the national Bartercard Cup competition Buckingham played in four Cup-winning sides, winning with Mt Albert three times and once with the Auckland Lions.
[6] In 2008 he returned to playing in the local Auckland competition and was a part of Mt Albert's Fox Memorial winning side.