# Phil Chapple > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Phil_Chapple > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Phil_Chapple.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Chapple > Source revision: 1350468069 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Philip Richard Chapple** (born 26 November 1966) is an English former professional footballer. Chapple began his career with [Cambridge United](/source/Cambridge_United_F.C.) after coming through the youth teams at [Norwich City](/source/Norwich_City_F.C.). He was part of the Us defence which gained consecutive promotions in [1989–90](/source/1989%E2%80%9390_in_English_football) and [1990–91](/source/1990%E2%80%9391_in_English_football). He joined [Charlton Athletic](/source/Charlton_Athletic_F.C.) in 1993 and spent five seasons at [The Valley](/source/The_Valley_(London)) before ending his career at [Peterborough United](/source/Peterborough_United_F.C.). After retiring from playing Chapple took up coaching roles at Peterborough United and [West Ham United](/source/West_Ham_United_F.C.) before becoming chief scout back at Charlton. After a brief spell at [Fulham](/source/Fulham_F.C.) Chapple was appointed European scout at [Brighton & Hove Albion](/source/Brighton_%26_Hove_Albion_F.C.). In September 2019 Chapple joined [Stoke City](/source/Stoke_City_F.C.) as head of first-team recruitment until February 2020. In May 2025 he was appointed Head of Recruitment at Charlton Athletic. ## Playing career A [centre back](/source/Centre_back) who started his career with [Norwich City](/source/Norwich_City_F.C.), he failed to make the breakthrough and joined [Cambridge United](/source/Cambridge_United_F.C.) on a free transfer in March 1988. During his time at The Abbey Stadium, Chapple went on to feature in the club's most successful seasons, culminating in a rise from [Division 4](/source/Football_League_Fourth_Division) to [Division 2](/source/Football_League_Second_Division) in successive seasons. In total Chapple made 187 league appearances for the club, scoring an impressive 19 goals. [Charlton Athletic](/source/Charlton_Athletic_F.C.) paid £100,000 for his services in 1993 and he went on to have a 5-year playing career at [The Valley](/source/The_Valley_(London)), scoring 15 goals in 141 games before joining [Peterborough United](/source/Peterborough_United_F.C.) in 1998. Chapple endured an injury ravaged time at London Road and only managed 17 games and one goal before retiring from playing. ## Scouting career Chapple stayed at Peterborough in a number of roles including Youth Team Coach, [Scout](/source/Scout_(sport)) and [Head Coach](/source/Head_Coach) before leaving in September 2003. He had spells as academy coach at [West Ham United](/source/West_Ham_United_F.C.) and as a coach at [Newmarket Town](/source/Newmarket_Town) and in 2007 returned to [Charlton Athletic](/source/Charlton_Athletic_F.C.) as chief [scout](/source/Scout_(sport)). When Charlton named [Phil Parkinson](/source/Phil_Parkinson) as caretaker manager in November 2008, Phil briefly joined the first-team coaching set-up before returning to his Chief Scout role in July 2009.[3] He remained at Charlton until September 2015 when he joined [Fulham](/source/Fulham_F.C.).[4] He was appointed European scout at [Brighton & Hove Albion](/source/Brighton_%26_Hove_Albion_F.C.) in December 2016.[5] In September 2019 he was appointed as head of first-team recruitment at [Stoke City](/source/Stoke_City_F.C.).[6] He left Stoke in February 2020.[7] He is currently a scout for [Luton Town](/source/Luton_Town). ## Career statistics Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[8] Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Cambridge United 1987–88 Fourth Division 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 1 1988–89 Fourth Division 46 3 3 1 2 0 3[a] 0 54 4 1989–90 Fourth Division 45 5 10 0 4 1 5[b] 0 64 6 1990–91 Third Division 43 5 7 0 2 0 5[a] 0 57 5 1991–92 Second Division 29 3 3 0 1 0 2[c] 0 35 3 1992–93 First Division 18 2 0 0 2 0 2[d] 0 22 2 Total 187 19 23 1 11 1 17 0 238 21 Charlton Athletic 1993–94 First Division 44 5 3 0 2 0 5[d] 0 54 5 1994–95 First Division 21 2 1 0 2 0 0 0 23 2 1995–96 First Division 16 2 0 0 3 0 0 0 19 2 1996–97 First Division 26 2 2 0 3 0 0 0 31 2 1997–98 First Division 35 4 3 0 1 0 0 0 39 4 Total 142 15 9 0 11 0 5 0 167 15 Peterborough United 1998–99 Third Division 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 1999–2000 Third Division 16 1 1 0 0 0 1[a] 0 18 1 Total 17 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 20 1 Career total 346 35 33 1 22 1 24 0 425 37 1. Appearances in [Football League Trophy](/source/EFL_Trophy) 1. Two Appearances in [Football League Trophy](/source/EFL_Trophy) and three appearances in [Football League Fourth Division play-offs](/source/Football_League_Fourth_Division_play-offs) 1. Appearances in [Football League Second Division play-offs](/source/Football_League_Second_Division_play-offs) 1. Appearances in [Anglo-Italian Cup](/source/Anglo-Italian_Cup) ## Honours **Cambridge United** - [Football League Fourth Division play-offs](/source/Football_League_Fourth_Division_play-offs): [1990](/source/1990_Football_League_play-offs#Fourth_Division)[9] ## References 1. Dunk, Peter (ed.) (1987). [*Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88*](https://archive.org/details/rothmansfootball00lond/page/262). London: Queen Anne Press. p. [262](https://archive.org/details/rothmansfootball00lond/page/262). ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5. 1. [Charlton Athletic Club News 28 Jul 2009](http://www.cafc.co.uk/newsview.ink?nid=34496&newstype=n) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20090730055414/http://www.cafc.co.uk/newsview.ink?nid=34496&newstype=n) 30 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine 1. ["Chapple takes scouting role at Fulham"](https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/fulham-to-appoint-charlton-man-as-chief-scout). *West London Sport*. 28 September 2015. Retrieved 23 September 2019. 1. ["Albion's European scout to join Championship rivals"](https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/14964232.albions-european-scout-to-join-championship-rivals/). *The Argus*. 14 December 2016. Retrieved 23 September 2019. 1. ["Phil Chapple joins Stoke as head of first-team recruitment"](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11701/11814058/phil-chapple-joins-stoke-as-head-of-first-team-recruitment). *Sky Sports*. Retrieved 19 September 2019. 1. ["BREAKING: Stoke City's head of recruitment leaves after just five months"](https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/stoke-city-transfers-phil-chapple-3845409). *Stoke Sentinel*. 13 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020. 1. Bateman, Cynthia (28 May 1990). ["Beck's beer toast for on-song Dion's latest hit and promotion to the Third"](https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A171292395/ITOF?u=wikipedia&sid=ITOF&xid=7080f706). *The Guardian*. p. 13. Retrieved 25 August 2025. – via Gale. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Phil Chapple](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Chapple) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Chapple?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.