Port Vale Chapman joined
Port Vale as an amateur in June 1966 and made his debut at
Vale Park in a 2–2 draw with
Lincoln City on 3 May 1967, the last day of the
1966–67 season, three days before his 16th birthday. Known as "Shack", he helped the
youth team to reach the
FA Youth Cup quarter-finals. He then played two
Fourth Division games in the
1967–68 season. Rangers finished second in the
Northern Premier League at the end of the
1971–72 campaign. The club finished 19th in the newly created
Alliance Premier League in
1979–80, and went on to finish eleventh in
1980–81 under
Paul Ogden and 14th in
1981–82, before being
relegated in last place at the end of the
1982–83 season under the stewardship of
Bobby Thomson and
Colin Clarke. Chapman left
Marston Road after Rangers finished tenth in the Northern Premier League at the end of the
1983–84 campaign and was given a second testimonial game against
Wolverhampton Wanderers. Manager Ron Reid wrote in the testimonial
programme that: "he was always known to be a keen competitor, a hard-
tackling strong midfielder. All in all, he was a winner." He made more than 650 appearances and scored 60 goals during his 14 years for the club.
Later career He joined
Macclesfield Town in 1984, and
captained the "Silkmen" to a second-place finish in the Northern Premier League in
1984–85, behind former club Stafford Rangers. He later became the player-
coach of
Rocester and led the club to two Staffordshire FA Vase final wins in 1986 and 1987, as well as back to back
Staffordshire Senior League titles. == Style of play ==