Alexander Balfour Chaplin (6 February 1892 – 9 March 1986) was a Scottish professional

association football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is t ...

er who played as a full back.

Football career

Born in Dundee, Chaplin started his career with Dundee Hibernian, signing for the club in May 1914. He played regularly during the 1914–15 season before volunteering for military service. He remained registered with Dundee Hibs throughout the First World War, but never played for the club again and was released in April 1919. Upon recommendation from former Dundee Hibs manager,

Pat Reilly Patrick Reilly (11 February 1873 – 6 April 1937) was a Scottish football manager, who was the first ever manager of Dundee Hibernian, forerunner of Dundee United. Early life and business career Reilly was born to Irish parents in Dundee ...

, Alex joined

Fulham Fulham () is an area of the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham in West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, bordering Hammersmith, Kensington and Chelsea. The area faces Wandswo ...

in July 1919 and played with the club until 1926. He played 259 league matches for Fulham, scoring one goal and served as the club's captain from 1923 to 1926. He made 276 appearances in all competitions for the club, missing only 8 games in seven seasons. After leaving Fulham, he played for

Northfleet United Northfleet United Football Club was a football club based in Northfleet Northfleet is a town in the borough of Gravesham in Kent, England. It is located immediately west of Gravesend, and on the border with the Borough of Dartford. Northf ...

for three years before retiring from playing.

Personal life

His brothers were fellow professional players

Jack Chaplin Jonathan Fowler Chaplin (10 October 1882 – 15 April 1952) was a Scottish football player and manager. A left back, Chaplin played for Dundee over two spells, winning the Scottish Cup in 1910, and represented the Scottish League. He also playe ...

and

George Chaplin George Duncan Chaplin (26 September 1888 – 14 May 1963) was a Scottish footballer who played as a full-back. He played professionally for various clubs in Scotland and England, and also made one senior international appearance for Scotla ...

. After his retirement, he remained in the Fulham area until he died in 1986, serving as a local councillor and a member of the Labour Party.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chaplin, Alex 1892 births Footballers from Dundee 1986 deaths Scottish men's footballers Men's association football fullbacks Dundee United F.C. players Fulham F.C. players English Football League players Scottish Football League players British military personnel of World War I