Richard Chaplow

Richard David Chaplow (born 2 February 1985) is an English retired professional footballer and coach who was most recently the head coach of USL Championship side Orange County SC.

He is a former England under-21 international.

Chaplow joined Burnley at the age of eight, before earning a scholarship at the club in 2001 as part of the YTS Apprenticeships, turning down offers from Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City.

In 2002–03, part of his season in the reserves was blighted by glandular fever, although he returned to action in January.

He went on to make five appearances for the side in the 2002–03 season.

After being included as an unused substitute against Preston North End on 8 April 2003, Chaplow made his Burnley debut, coming on as a second-half substitute, in 2–0 loss against Norwich City four days later on 12 April 2003.

Chaplow then made his first start and played the whole game despite losing, 2–0, against Nottingham Forest on 21 April 2003.

However, ahead of the 2003–04 season, Chaplow suffered from alopecia during 2003, returning to pre-season training having lost all his hair.

Despite this, Chaplow continued to a handful of first-team appearances at the start of the season, playing in the midfielder position, and scored his first goal for the club on 30 August 2003, in a 1–0 win over Crewe Alexandra.

As a result, Chaplow signed his first professional contract with the club.

By the rest of 2003, Chaplow scored two more goals, which came against Cardiff City and Reading.

Chaplow's performance throughout December earned him PFA First Division Player of the Month award.

Later in the 2003–04 season, Chaplow scored two more goals, which came against Ipswich Town and Nottingham Forest.

Despite missing out through suspension and fitness concerns, Chaplow went on to make thirty–nine appearances and scoring five times in all competitions.

At the end of the 2003–04 season, Chaplow signed a contract with the club, keeping him until 2006.

Ahead of the 2004–05 season, Chaplow was subject of a transfer move throughout the summer, with Blackburn Rovers and Leeds United.

However, Chaplow was soon sidelined for several months with a cartilage trouble, which he sustained and substituted in the first half, in a 3–0 defeat to Queens Park Rangers on 30 October 2004.

After a month out, he made his first team return from injury on 18 December 2004, coming on as a second-half substitute, in a 2–1 loss against Sunderland.

In the January transfer window, Chaplow was linked with a move to Premier League side West Brom Albion and had a bid rejected from Burnley shortly after.

Amid the transfer speculation, Chaplow's performance against Liverpool in the third round of FA Cup was well-received, with Manager Steve Cotterill praising his performance, which saw Burnley beating them, 1–0.

A week later, West Brom Albion made another bid for Chaplow, which was accepted soon after.

He would later made four appearances in the 2004–05 season in his first half season at the club.

Chaplow joined West Bromwich Albion for a fee of £1.5 million on transfer deadline day in January 2005.

The Baggies had previously attempted to force the deal through several times during the transfer window.

He moved to The Hawthorns on a 3 1⁄2-year deal, with the option of a further season.

Chaplow made his Albion debut in a 4–1 victory over Charlton Athletic at The Valley on 19 March 2005.

He won a penalty soon after coming on as a late substitute, enabling Robert Earnshaw to complete his hat-trick from the spot.

However, in the 2005–06 season, Chaplow struggled to dispatch the first team place in midfield, with Riccardo Scimeca, Steve Watson and Diomansy Kamara preferred instead and made two appearances at the start of the season.

first goals for West Brom came in an FA Cup 3rd round replay at Reading on 17 January 2006.

His two first-half goals gave Albion a 2–0 lead, but they eventually lost 3–2 in extra-time.

In February 2006, Chaplow signed a three-month loan deal with Championship side Southampton, as part of the deal which saw Nigel Quashie move the other way.

Chaplow made his full debut for the side two days later after signing for the club despite losing 2–0 against Reading.

On his ninth appearance, he scored his only Saints goal at Brighton & Hove Albion on 8 April 2006, which saw Southampton win 2–0.

Two weeks later, Chaplow returned to his parent club after suffering a knee injury.

Upon his return from the loan, Manager Bryan Robson was impressed with his performance and expected use him in the 2006–07 season.

Chaplow's first appearance of the season came on 8 August 2006, where he came on as a second-half substitute, in a 1–1 against Cardiff City.

He then scored his first league goal for West Bromwich Albion, in a 2–1 defeat at Derby County.

However, his appearances in the first team was marred by substitute bench and injuries.

Despite this, Chaplow ended the transfer speculation when he signed a four–year contract, keeping him until 2008.

Throughout September, Chaplow scored two goals in five appearances against Crewe Alexandra and Cardiff City.