Fred Chaplin

Alfred Chaplin (1879 – after 1911), commonly known as Fred Chaplin, was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League for Small Heath.[1]

Fred Chaplin

Personal information
Full name	Alfred Chaplin
Date of birth	1879
Place of birth	Foleshill, England
Place of death	London, England
Position(s)	Right half
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
	St Paul's Bible Class
	Folesworth Great Heath
1902–1903	Coventry City
1903–1905	Small Heath	4	(0)
1905–1906	Woolwich Arsenal	0	(0)
1906–1912	Coventry City
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Chaplin was born in Foleshill, Warwickshire. He played local football before joining Coventry City, then playing in the Birmingham & District League, in 1902. Chaplin's reputation as a goalscorer and his performance in a representative match between the Birmingham and Scottish Junior Football Associations earned him a contract with First Division club Small Heath.[2] He made his debut on 16 January 1904 in a 1–1 draw away at Aston Villa, and kept his place for the next three games. Despite his goalscoring history, these four games were played in the half-back line, deputising in turn for centre-half Walter Wigmore and wing halves Harry Howard and Billy Beer.[3] At the end of the 1904–05 season, Chaplin moved to Woolwich Arsenal, but after one season he returned to Coventry City without having appeared for the first team. He was a Coventry player when they joined the Southern League.[2][4]

References

1. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData (Tony Brown). p. 52. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
2. Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 78. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
3. Matthews, p. 150.
4. "Coventry City". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Retrieved 4 May 2009.