# Chris Slater > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Chris_Slater > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Chris_Slater.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Slater > Source revision: 1311422901 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|English footballer (born 1984)}} {{use British English|date=July 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Chris Slater | image = Chris Slater in 2008.jpg | caption = Slater in [Port Vale](/source/Port_Vale_F.C.)'s away shirt, 2008 | fullname = Christopher James Slater{{Hugman|25331|accessdate=9 March 2017}} | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|01|14|df=y}} | birth_place = [Staffordshire](/source/Staffordshire), England | height = 1.83m{{cite web |title=FootballSquads – Port Vale – 2008/09 |url=http://www.footballsquads.co.uk/eng/2008-2009/fltwo/portv.htm |website=footballsquads.co.uk |accessdate=24 June 2019}} | position = [Defender](/source/Defender_(association_football)) | currentclub = | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = 2002–2005| youthclubs1 = [Wolverhampton Wanderers](/source/Wolverhampton_Wanderers_F.C.) | years1 = 2005–2008| clubs1 = [Chasetown](/source/Chasetown_F.C.) | caps1 = | goals1 = | years2 = 2008 | clubs2 = [Port Vale](/source/Port_Vale_F.C.) | caps2= 11| goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2008–2017| clubs3 = [Chasetown](/source/Chasetown_F.C.) | caps3= | goals3 = | years4 = 2017–2020| clubs4 = [Walsall Wood](/source/Walsall_Wood_F.C.)| caps4= | goals4 = | years5 = 2020–2024| clubs5 = [Chasetown](/source/Chasetown_F.C.) | caps5= | goals5 = }} '''Christopher James Slater''' (born 14 January 1984) is an English former professional [footballer](/source/Association_football) who played as a [defender](/source/Defender_(association_football)). Slater had given up on becoming a professional footballer in 2005 after being released by [Wolverhampton Wanderers](/source/Wolverhampton_Wanderers_F.C.). He joined [non-League](/source/Non-League_football) [Chasetown](/source/Chasetown_F.C.), where he won the [Midland Football Alliance](/source/Midland_Football_Alliance) title in 2005–06. However, after victory over [Port Vale](/source/Port_Vale_F.C.) in the [FA Cup](/source/FA_Cup) in December 2007, he turned professional at [Vale Park](/source/Vale_Park). He spent eleven months in the [English Football League](/source/English_Football_League) before returning to Chasetown. He helped the club to win [promotion](/source/Promotion_and_relegation) in [2010](/source/2009%E2%80%9310_Northern_Premier_League) and went on to beat the club's all-time appearance record. He joined [Walsall Wood](/source/Walsall_Wood_F.C.) in June 2017 and helped the club to win the [Midland League](/source/Midland_Football_League_(2014)) Division One title during the 2017–18 season. He returned to Chasetown as a player-[coach](/source/Coach_(sport)) for the 2020–21 season. ==Career== ===Chasetown=== Released from [Wolverhampton Wanderers](/source/Wolverhampton_Wanderers_F.C.) in 2005 without a first-team appearance to his name, Slater joined [non-League](/source/non-League_football) [Chasetown](/source/Chasetown_F.C.). Helping the "Chase" take [Oldham Athletic](/source/Oldham_Athletic_A.F.C.) to a [replay](/source/Replay_(sports)) at [Boundary Park](/source/Boundary_Park) in the first round of the [FA Cup](/source/FA_Cup) in [November 2005](/source/2005%E2%80%9306_FA_Cup) was just the beginning of Slater's and Chasetown's cup adventures. By April 2006, he had won a trial with [Tranmere Rovers](/source/Tranmere_Rovers_F.C.) and was also being looked at by [Blackpool](/source/Blackpool_F.C.) and [Crewe Alexandra](/source/Crewe_Alexandra_F.C.), all [English Football League](/source/English_Football_League) clubs.{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/4946106.stm|title=League clubs chase Chasetown star |date=26 April 2006|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=13 July 2009}} He helped Chasetown to win the [Midland Football Alliance](/source/Midland_Football_Alliance) title at the end of the [2005–06](/source/2005%E2%80%9306_Midland_Football_Alliance) season. He was at The Scholar Ground for the first season of the new [Southern League Division One Midlands](/source/Southern_Football_League) tier ([2006–07](/source/2006%E2%80%9307_Southern_Football_League)). He came to prominence when playing in Chasetown's 1–0 FA Cup victory over [League One](/source/EFL_League_One) [Port Vale](/source/Port_Vale_F.C.) in [December 2007](/source/2007%E2%80%9308_FA_Cup). In doing this, he helped Chasetown become the lowest-ever ranked club to reach as far as the third round (proper) of the FA Cup.{{cite news | title =Chasetown 1–0 Port Vale | publisher =BBC Sport | date =11 December 2007| url =https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/fa_cup/7136497.stm | access-date =26 February 2008}} Vale was the eighth club Chasetown had vanquished in their campaign [that season](/source/2007%E2%80%9308_FA_Cup_qualifying_rounds). He had played 146 league games for the "Scholars" in his three years at the club, scoring one goal. ===Port Vale=== He was signed by [Lee Sinnott](/source/Lee_Sinnott)'s [Port Vale](/source/Port_Vale_F.C.), along with Chasetown teammate [Kyle Perry](/source/Kyle_Perry), in January 2008 for a nominal fee and gave up his day job as a [block paver](/source/Paver_(flooring)).{{cite news | title =Port Vale snap up Chasetown duo |publisher =BBC Sport | date =11 January 2008| url =https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/port_vale/7183104.stm | access-date =26 February 2008}} He made his League One debut as a 70th minute [substitute](/source/substitute_(association_football)) in a 2–0 defeat to [Swansea City](/source/Swansea_City_A.F.C.) on 19 January 2008.{{cite news | title =Swansea 2–0 Port Vale | publisher =BBC Sport | date =19 January 2008| url =https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_2/7184770.stm | access-date =26 February 2008}} He played four further league games [that season](/source/2007%E2%80%9308_Port_Vale_F.C._season), all of them defeats as the Vale were [relegated](/source/promotion_and_relegation) into [League Two](/source/EFL_League_Two). After appearing in six league and two cup games for the "Valiants" in [2008–09](/source/2008%E2%80%9309_Port_Vale_F.C._season), Slater was released from his [contract](/source/Association_football_contracts) in mid-November, and subsequently re-joined Chasetown.{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/p/port_vale/7737664.stm|title=Port Vale release defender Slater|date=19 November 2008|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=19 November 2008}} ===Return to Chasetown=== Slater was once again a key member of the Chasetown team, playing 33 games in the [2008–09](/source/2008%E2%80%9309_Southern_Football_League) season, as they reached the play-off final, only to lose out 1–0 to [Nuneaton Town](/source/Nuneaton_Borough_F.C.). He played another 35 league games in [2009–10](/source/2009%E2%80%9310_Northern_Premier_League), helping the club gain promotion out of the [Northern Premier League](/source/Northern_Premier_League) Division One South via the play-offs with a 1–0 win over [Glapwell](/source/Glapwell_F.C.). He remained at the club throughout [2010–11](/source/2010%E2%80%9311_Northern_Premier_League), as the club competed at the seventh level of the [English football league pyramid](/source/English_football_league_system) for the first time in its history. However, the "Scholars" could not survive at such a high level and were relegated in [2011–12](/source/2011%E2%80%9312_Northern_Premier_League). They reached the Division One South play-off final in [2012–13](/source/2012%E2%80%9313_Northern_Premier_League), where they were beaten 2–1 by [Stamford](/source/Stamford_A.F.C.). The club finished 12th in [2013–14](/source/2013%E2%80%9314_Northern_Premier_League) and 13th in [2014–15](/source/2014%E2%80%9315_Northern_Premier_League), and Slater exceeded 500 appearances for the club in April 2015.{{cite news|title=500 not out for Chris Slater at Chasetown|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/2015/04/10/its-500-not-out-for-chasetowns-chris-slater/|accessdate=8 May 2015|work=Express & Star|date=10 April 2015}} He left the club at the end of the [2016–17](/source/2016%E2%80%9317_Northern_Premier_League) season having broken the club's all-time appearance record.{{cite web|title=Record appearance holder Chris Slater to leave Chasetown FC|url=http://lichfieldlive.co.uk/2016/05/22/record-appearance-holder-chris-slater-to-leave-chasetown-fc/|website=lichfieldlive.co.uk|date=22 May 2016 |accessdate=23 May 2016}} ===Walsall Wood=== Slater joined [Midland League](/source/Midland_Football_League_(2014)) side [Walsall Wood](/source/Walsall_Wood_F.C.) after being signed by [Gary Birch](/source/Gary_Birch_(footballer)) in June 2017.{{cite news|last1=Brassington|first1=Jamie|title=Gary Birch begins to rebuild at Walsall Wood|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/non-league/2017/06/02/gary-birch-begins-to-rebuild-at-walsall-wood/|accessdate=21 June 2017|work=Express and star|date=2 June 2017|language=en}} He helped the "Prims" to win the Division One title at the end of the [2017–18](/source/2017%E2%80%9318_Midland_Football_League) season. ===Third spell at Chasetown=== Slater returned again to Chasetown as a player-[coach](/source/Coach_(sport)) for the [2020–21](/source/2020%E2%80%9321_Northern_Premier_League) season.{{cite web |title=Chris Slater – Chasetown FC 1st team |url=https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/chasetown/teams/20991/coach/chris-slater-1405415 |website=pitchero.com |access-date=1 May 2022}} He made five appearances in cup competitions in the [2021–22](/source/2021%E2%80%9322_Northern_Premier_League) season. He was still a player-coach at the club in October 2023 and noted that he was now coaching his son.{{cite news |last1=Robinson |first1=Ryan |title=a catch up with Chris Slater |url=https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/chasetown/news/a-catch-up-with-chris-slater-2809761.html |access-date=16 May 2024 |work=www.pitchero.com |date=10 October 2023 |language=en}} ==Career statistics== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition{{ENFA}}{{cite web |title=Christopher Slater – Chasetown FC 1st team |url=https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/chasetown/teams/20991/player/christopher-slater-170683/2683 |website=pitchero.com |accessdate=12 October 2019}} |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |[Chasetown](/source/Chasetown_F.C.)||[2005–06](/source/2005%E2%80%9306_Midland_Football_Alliance)||[Midland Football Alliance](/source/Midland_Football_Alliance)||44||0||13||0||53||0 |- |rowspan="3"|[Port Vale](/source/Port_Vale_F.C.)||[2007–08](/source/2007%E2%80%9308_Port_Vale_F.C._season)||[League One](/source/EFL_League_One)||5||0||0||0||5||0 |- |[2008–09](/source/2008%E2%80%9309_Port_Vale_F.C._season)||[League Two](/source/EFL_League_Two)||6||0||1||0||7||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !11!!0!!1!!0!!12!!0 |- |rowspan="12"|Chasetown||[2009–10](/source/2009%E2%80%9310_Northern_Premier_League)||[Northern Premier League](/source/Northern_Premier_League) Division One South||35||0||4||0||39||0 |- |[2010–11](/source/2010%E2%80%9311_Northern_Premier_League)||Northern Premier League Premier Division||24||0||5||0||29||0 |- |[2011–12](/source/2011%E2%80%9312_Northern_Premier_League)||Northern Premier League Premier Division||30||1||6||0||36||1 |- |[2012–13](/source/2012%E2%80%9313_Northern_Premier_League)||Northern Premier League Division One South||30||0||11||0||41||0 |- |[2013–14](/source/2013%E2%80%9314_Northern_Premier_League)||Northern Premier League Division One South||36||0||12||0||48||0 |- |[2014–15](/source/2014%E2%80%9315_Northern_Premier_League)||Northern Premier League Division One South||41||0||14||0||55||0 |- |[2015–16](/source/2015%E2%80%9316_Northern_Premier_League)||Northern Premier League Division One South||34||0||6||0||40||0 |- |[2016–17](/source/2016%E2%80%9317_Northern_Premier_League)||Northern Premier League Division One South||27||0||8||0||35||0 |- |[2020–21](/source/2020%E2%80%9321_Northern_Premier_League)||Northern Premier League Division One South East||5||0||2||0||7||0 |- |[2021–22](/source/2021%E2%80%9322_Northern_Premier_League)||Northern Premier League Division One Midlands||0||0||5||0||5||0 |- |[2022–23](/source/2022%E2%80%9323_Northern_Premier_League)||Northern Premier League Division One Midlands||0||0||1||0||1||0 |- |[2023–24](/source/2023%E2%80%9324_Northern_Premier_League)||Northern Premier League Division One West||0||0||0||0||0||0 |} ==Honours== '''Chasetown''' *[Midland Football Alliance](/source/Midland_Football_Alliance): [2005–06](/source/2005%E2%80%9306_Midland_Football_Alliance) *[Northern Premier League](/source/Northern_Premier_League) Division One South play-offs: [2010](/source/2009%E2%80%9310_Northern_Premier_League) '''Walsall Wood''' *[Midland League](/source/Midland_Football_League_(2014)) Division One: [2017–18](/source/2017%E2%80%9318_Midland_Football_League) ==References== {{reflist}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Slater, Chris}} Category:1984 births Category:Living people Category:People from Burntwood Category:Footballers from Staffordshire Category:English men's footballers Category:Men's association football defenders Category:Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. players Category:Chasetown F.C. players Category:Port Vale F.C. players Category:Walsall Wood F.C. players Category:Midland Football Alliance players Category:Southern Football League players Category:English Football League players Category:Northern Premier League players Category:21st-century English sportsmen --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Chris Slater](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Slater) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Slater?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.