imported>Jonnycc23 at 13:11, 31 May 2024

2024-05-31T13:11:39Z

New page

{{Short description|English footballer and manager}}
{{for|the New Zealand author and journalist|Geoff Chapple (writer)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Geoff Chapple
| image =
| fullname =
| birth_date =
| height =
| position = [[Forward (football)|Forward]]
| currentclub = [[Woking F.C.|Woking]] (caretaker)
| years1 = ?–1971
| years2 = ?-1979
| years3 = 1979-1980
| clubs1 = [[Woking F.C.|Woking]]
| clubs2 = [[Alton Town F.C.|Alton Town]]
| clubs3 = [[Windsor & Eton F.C. (1892)|Windsor & Eton]]
| caps1 =
| caps2 =
| goals1 =
| goals2 =
| manageryears1 = 1979
| manageryears2 = 1983-1984
| manageryears3 = 1984–1997
| manageryears4 = 1997–2001
| manageryears5 = 2001–2002
| manageryears6 = 2018
| managerclubs1 = [[Alton F.C.|Alton Town]]
| managerclubs2 = [[Windsor & Eton F.C. (1892)|Windsor & Eton]]
| managerclubs3 = [[Woking F.C.|Woking]]
| managerclubs4 = [[Kingstonian F.C.|Kingstonian]]
| managerclubs5 = [[Woking F.C.|Woking]]
| managerclubs6 = [[Woking F.C.|Woking]] (caretaker)
}}
'''Geoff Chapple''' (born November 1945<ref name="Date Of Birth">{{cite web |title=Date Of Birth |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/vm4fjT5KvShE3CD_oo7wTrnKbMU/appointments |publisher=Companies House |access-date=6 January 2022}}</ref>) is an English a former non-league football manager. His achievements include winning the [[FA Trophy]] five times in seven years with [[Woking F.C.|Woking]] (1994, 1995 & 1997) and [[Kingstonian F.C.|Kingstonian]] (1999 & 2000).

==Career==
Chapple played amateur football as a [[forward (football)|forward]], but broke his leg in an [[FA Vase]] match in 1980, and turned to management. Initially player-manager of [[Alton F.C.|Alton Town]], he soon moved to a purely managerial post at [[Windsor & Eton F.C. (1892)|Windsor & Eton]].<ref name="golden">Pete Oliver, "[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/6220292.stm Chapple reflects on golden years]", ''[[BBC Sport]]'', 8 December 2006</ref><ref name="win">"[http://www.getwokingham.co.uk/sport/s/74992_win_a_signed_copy_of_book Win a signed copy of book]", ''[[Wokingham Times]]'', 7 December 2006</ref>

Chapple first joined Woking in the [[1984-85 in English football|1984–85 season]] and went on to lead them on their famous FA Cup run in 1991 which saw them beat [[West Bromwich Albion]] 4–2 at The Hawthorns,<ref name="leaves">{{cite news
|date=2006-10-14 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/woking/2327039.stm |title=Chapple leaves Woking |publisher=BBC Sport |accessdate=2007-08-05}}</ref> after which he quit working as a financial consultant to become a full-time manager. Under him, the team also achieved three [[FA Trophy]] victories.<ref name="golden" />

Chapple left the club in 1997, apparently frustrated by its refusal to provide him with a written contract, and went to manage [[Kingstonian F.C.|Kingstonian]], taking the club up to the Conference, and winning a further two FA Trophy titles. However, he was sacked in 2001, after the team suffered relegation.<ref name="golden" /> He then returned to Woking, although this time he was not so successful and parted company with the club in October 2002.<ref name="leaves" />

Out of management, Chapple became a courier, but maintained a link with football as the Chairman of [[Farnham Town F.C.]]<ref name="golden" /> He was appointed as the Commercial Manager of Woking in the Autumn of 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wokingfc.co.uk/club/|title=Club Contacts|publisher=Woking FC|accessdate=2009-08-25}}</ref>

Chapple reportedly made a surprise return to football management on 3 April 2018 at the age of 72, when [[Woking F.C.|Woking]]'s board of directors parted company with former boss [[Anthony Limbrick]]. In a statement, it said the [[Kingfield Stadium|Kingfield]] club had put the five-time [[FA Trophy]] winner in temporary charge of first team affairs in a bid to preserve The Cards [[National League (English football)|National League]] status.

However, while Chapple allowed himself to be interviewed as Woking's [[interim manager]], he was not present in the dugout for any of The Cards remaining five National League fixtures, which was later described as a publicity stunt to initially appease supporters, but backfired. Instead, the onus fell heavily on the shoulders of former [[Stevenage F.C.|Stevenage]] and [[AFC Wimbledon]] midfielder Jason Goodliffe, assisted by Matt Gray. The coaching-duo rejuvenated the team's performance on the pitch, although they did not have enough time to spare Woking of relegation to National League South on 28 April 2018, losing 2–1 at home to [[Dover Athletic F.C.|Dover Athletic]].

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{cite book| author=Youlton, Clive | title=Geoff Chapple - The Story Behind the Legend | publisher=Tempus | year=2006 | isbn=0-7524-3800-X }}

{{Woking F.C. managers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chapple, Geoff}}
[[Category:1945 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:English football managers]]
[[Category:Woking F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Alton F.C. players]]
[[Category:Alton F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:English men's footballers]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]

Geoff Chapple - Revision history

imported>Jonnycc23 at 13:11, 31 May 2024