Les Chapman (born in Royton, Lancashire^{[citation needed]} on September 27, 1948^{[citation needed]}) is a former football player and manager who played in the English football league. Midfield player Chapman made 747 league appearances in a career that spanned 22 seasons. Royton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham,[1] in Greater Manchester, England. ... Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea. ... is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... English football league is a rather ambiguous term and may refer to: The FA Premier League - the highest level of English football since 1992 The Football League - the highest level of English football until 1992 and the second tier since The English football league system - the entire network of football...

From an early stage, it was not clear how Chapman would go on to have such a long career in football as he himself admits: "I never had a great desire to be a professional footballer, it simply landed at my feet."^{[citation needed]}

Early years

Chapman was raised in Royton^{[citation needed]} and as a youngster played for Chadderton Boys before going on to play for Huddersfield's youth team during his schooldays. Royton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham,[1] in Greater Manchester, England. ... Statistics Population: 33,001 (2001 Census) Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: SD9005 Administration Metropolitan Borough: Oldham Metropolitan county: Greater Manchester Region: North West England Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: Greater Manchester Historic county: Lancashire Services Police force: Greater Manchester Police Fire and rescue: {{{Fire}}} Ambulance... Huddersfield is a large town in England near the confluence of the River Colne and the River Holme. ...

Les didn't turn professional straight away and actually spent the first months of his working life as a trainee accountant with Middleton Council before being recommended to Latics.^{[citation needed]}

He began his 1st spell with Oldham Athletic making his 1st team debut as an 18 year old against Bristol Rovers in February 1967 but went back to Huddersfield (where he had played as a junior) in September 1969.^{[citation needed]} Oldham Athletic Association Football Club are an English football team currently playing in Football League One. ... For details of the current season, see Bristol Rovers F.C. season 2006-07 Bristol Rovers are an English professional football team, based in Bristol. ... Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, currently playing in Coca-Cola League One, and are managed by Andy Ritchie. ...

Back at Oldham

In December 1974, he returned to Oldham Athletic, now in Division 4. He stayed at the club for the next four and a half years, during which it climbed back up to the 2nd division, the equivalent of today's Championship. Chapman missed only five games during that time and his came as a surprise to many when he left at the end of the 1978-79 season. Oldham Athletic Association Football Club are an English football team currently playing in Football League One. ...

In total, he made 263 league appearances for Oldham Athletic and scored 20 times. Oldham Athletic Association Football Club are an English football team currently playing in Football League One. ...

Later years

Upon leaving Oldham, Chapman spent the summer of 1979 playing in the NAFL for San Jose Earthquakes before returning to England and to Stockport County. After one season at Edgeley Park though Les left to sign for Bradford City. Les spent four seasons at Valley Parade making 139 league appearances before leaving on a free transfer for Rochdale where he would spend two seasons ,playing nearly 100 games for the Spotland side. ‹The template below has been proposed for deletion. ... For the defunct MLS franchise, see San Jose Earthquakes. ... Stockport County Football Club are an English football club playing in the Football League One. ... Edgeley Park (Capacity 10,852 seats) is the home of Stockport County Football Club and Sale Sharks Rugby Union club. ... Bradford City Association Football Club is a football team based at the Bradford and Bingley Stadium (formerly known as Valley Parade) in Bradford, England. ... Valley Parade, currently known under a naming-rights contract as the Intersonic Stadium (previously the Bradford & Bingley Stadium), is the home stadium of Bradford City football club in the built up area of Manningham, in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. ... Rochdale A.F.C. are an English football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. ... Spotland Stadium Spotland Stadium (or simply Spotland) is a sports venue located in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. ...

Management

In July 1985 he became player-manager of Stockport County but moved on a year later to become player-assistant manager along side John McGrath at Preston. This despite similar interest from Frank Worthington at Tranmere Rovers. In April February 1990 he took over the managership of the club himself but was later sacked in October 1992. He became reserve team coach at Manchester City in January 1993 but was replaced by Kevin Bond in July 1996 since then he has been City's kit man. Stockport County Football Club are an English football club based in Stockport, England. ... For the former Kidderminster Harriers, Weymouth & current Tamworth player see John McGrath (footballer born 1980). ... Preston North End Football Club are an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the second tier of English league football, The Championship. ... Frank Worthington (born November 23, 1948 in Halifax, Yorkshire) is a former English footballer. ... Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English football club, based in Birkenhead, Merseyside. ... Manchester City Football Club is a large English football club based in the city of Manchester. ... There are several famous people with this name, including: Kevin Bond, coach at Portsmouth F.C. Kevin Bond, the musician This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Trivia

Les' daughter, Tiffany Chapman is an actress, most famous for her role as Rachel Jordache in the soap opera Brookside, which she played from 1993 until the show ended in 2003. Tiffany Chapman has also released a fitness video and appeared in Celebrity Wrestling. Tiffany Chapman is a British actress, most famous for her role as Rachel Dixon in the soap opera Brookside, which she played from 1993 until the show ended in 2003. ...

Les scored the goal that officially clinched promotion out of the bottom flight for Preston North End (1-0 at Leyton Orient in 1987). After the match he told local newspaper the Lancashire Evening Post he felt 53 miles west of Venus. Reference to an obscure B-52's track from their album Wild Planet. A way of saying he was Over The Moon. The Lancashire Evening Post is a daily newspaper based in the city of Preston. ... The B-52s are a rock band from Athens, Georgia, the first of many from the college town that has become one of the most important centers in alternative rock. ... Wild Planet is the second studio album by New Wave band The B-52s, released in 1980. ...

References