Geoff Chapple Tribute

It was the Summer of 1997, after the demise of Graham Westley, that Kingstonian fans learned - via BBC Ceefax - that Geoff Chapple had been appointed as the new manager. A name famous throughout the non-league world after his FA Trophy and FA Cup triumphs with Surrey-neighbours Woking, here was a man who could finally put Kingstonian FC on the map.

Four years, and six trophies, later that ambition has most certainly been achieved. The red and white hooped shirts of Kingstonian are now well known by the British public, and the local populous is certainly more informed. All of this, both the success and popularity, can only be down to one man - the football club manager.

Things started in a hectic way, with mass changes during the 1997 close-season. Chapple's first match in charge, versus Bishop's Stortford, saw debuts for Matt Crossley (of Woking fame), Terry Evans, Gary Patterson and David Leworthy - another hugely well-known name in non-league football. There was also a welcome return for old-boy Geoff Pitcher. And things turned out pretty well, with a one-nil win being secured thanks to a debut goal from Leworthy.

K's hit the top of the Isthmian League early in September, when Walton and Hersham were destroyed by four goals to one, thanks mostly to a hat-trick from Leworthy. A slight blip saw both Borehamwood and Sutton United vying for top spot, but Kingstonian returned to lead the championship race on a sunny afternoon in March. One-nil down, K's were desperate for some inspiration.

Up stepped Geoff Pitcher. Two of the sweetest free-kicks imaginable were dispatched past Gravesend and a two-one win meant that K's were back on top. From this moment on there was no looking back, although a loss at home to Yeading and a thrilling three-three draw at Gander Green Lane increased the tension. But then on to Oxford City.

The match had been postponed several times, but when it was finally played it was simple. A Kingstonian win would see the Isthmian Championship Shield held aloft by skipper Terry Evans. Colin Luckett missed a penalty early on, which would have eased the nerves, but as the game progressed news came through that Sutton were losing. This meant that K's would be champions even if they only drew. But Pitcher has never been one to settle for the mundane, and his late goal gave K's the victory they craved.

The post-match celebrations were incredible. People who had watched Kingstonian for their entire lives were in tears as they realised that they would be seeing their team in a national league for the very first time. A few days later and the icing was on the cake, as Woking were beaten, at Sutton's ground, to claim the Surrey Senior Cup. The fact that the "winner" never actually went in has never caused much complaint.

The summer of 1998 saw more changes in personnel. Two centre-halves were signed, in Simon Stewart and Mark Harris, both of whom had league experience, as Terry Evans departed. There was also a certain Gavin Holligan on the bench for K's first ever Football Conference match, versus Hereford United. The script couldn't have been better written, as goals from Leworthy and Joe Francis secured three points in front of a crowd of more than two thousand. The future certainly looked bright.

Another new signing saw Tarkan Mustafa signed to replace the now-departed Dean Hooper, and the new-boy made an impressive start with a goal on his debut against Doncaster. That match also saw the first goal from Holligan, as he beat Neville Southall to claim a two-one win. In October Steve Farrelly was signed to replace the popular figure of Jerome John in goal, as the K's side which would earn so much success took shape.

The 1998/1999 season saw a good run in the FA Cup, with a home draw against Leyton Orient in the first round earning much needed revenue thanks to the broadcast by Sky Sports. A nil-nil draw was earned, despite the best efforts of Crossley et al, and the replay was eventually lost two-one. This match also signaled the departure of Holligan, who was off to the Premiership with West Ham.

But of course the FA Trophy is where Chapple had really earned his reputation. A loss in the first qualifying round at Crawley hadn't been the best start for Chapple in his first season, but from the time K's overcame Gloucester City two-one in November 1998 there was no looking back.

One of the toughest routes to Wembley that could have been imagined faced Kingstonian, but at every step they overcame the odds. Kettering - then league leaders - were destroyed by five goals to two; Yeovil - who were the Conference's best travelling team - were beaten one-nil; Northwich - with an impressive home record - saw another win, this time two-nil; and then onto Cheltenham - league leaders and Trophy holders. An incredible two-two draw at Kingsmeadow in the first leg was followed by an amazing trip to Whaddon Road, where goals from skipper Crossley and Leworthy were added to right at the death by Patterson, and K's were at Wembley.

There they met another newly promoted team in Forest Green Rovers. Over twenty-thousand people were there to watch Kingstonian's first trip to Wembley since the Amateur Cup Final back in 1960, and K's emerged triumphant. A Tarkan Mustafa goal was all it took, and Kingstonian had won the FA Trophy for the first time in their history.

By the time K's kicked off their second Conference campaign - following an eighth placed finish - there had been a few more changes to the squad. Dwight Marshall had been signed to play up front, and there was also a return for Phil Wingfield. A one-nil defeat at Telford wasn't really what was called for, but things were most certainly put right by the time K's were top of the league late in September, after another Leworthy goal had beaten Welling.

The FA Cup run ended once again at the first round stage, but not until after K's had led Luton Town two-one on their own ground. And it was only two amazing goals which ended K's dreams. Yet by this time the defence of the Trophy was just weeks away. A tricky trip to Folkestone worried many, but a superb goal from Luke Basford ensured K's progressed. Wealdstone and Moor Green presented few problems, but the draw then pitted K's against Yeovil in the fifth round once again.

This time the match was at Huish Park, and Yeovil were out for revenge. But a goal at the start of the second half by that-man Leworthy earned K's the lead, and a hugely impressive defensive display from the entire team kept the sheet clean. Celebrations became somewhat muted when Southport - then doing well in the league - were drawn in the quarter finals, but yet another Leworthy goal - this time deep, deep, deep into injury time in the Haig Avenue replay - gained K's another semi-final place.

The fact that Sutton had beaten Rushden in their own quarter-final on the same night meant that K's would be playing their near neighbours over two legs for the right to grace the Wembley turf. The first match saw an unimaginably dull affair end one-one, but the second leg was slightly different. From the moment Colin Luckett volleyed K's into the lead on twelve minutes there was no looking back. Seventy-eight minutes, and five goals, later the hoops celebrated. An amazing six-nil victory meant that the "defence" was still on.

This time Kettering Town were the opposition, as a crowd just three below the previous season's watched. Days before, K's had lost the Conference League Cup Final two-nil, but they obviously didn't like the idea of picking up more losers medals.

In one of the most unforgettable Wembley finals the match swung first one way then t'other. K's took the lead through Eddie Akuamoah, Kettering equalised, had a goal disallowed and then scored a penalty. For the first time ever a team of Geoff Chapple's was behind at Wembley. No worries. Akuamoah leveled the scores again and then another of Chapple's incredible signings - ex-French-international Amara Simba - chipped in the third. The whistle took an age to sound, but when it did Matt Crossley and David Leworthy walked up the 39 steps to pick up the Trophy for the second season in a row.

Both Crossley and Leworthy departed in the summer of 2000, along with Mustafa, but in came Mark Beard, David Bass and Sammy Winston as K's strove to improve on their finish of fifth. They looked like doing this early on, as six points from six landed K's in fourth place. But from then on things took a down-turn. Defeat at Hednesford in September saw K's languishing in the relegation places for the first time since their promotion to the Conference. Things didn't improve as time wore on, but by then we were into the FA Cup.

After seeing off Devizes Town, Kingstonian were drawn against Brentford in the first round proper. The side produced one of their best displays ever as they overcame their more illustrious neighbours by three goals to one. Winston even chipped in with two goals, as things looked like they might be improving. Yet as time wore on nothing really changed. Southport and then Southend were beaten in the cup, but league results continued to be poor, with no wins between the end of November and the start of February. By the time that elusive league win was earned at Doncaster, K's had been through much.

A fourth round trip to Bristol City saw the most despairing injury-time imaginable. One up through a goal from Wingfield, Tony Thorpe denied K's a trip to Filbert Street with a late, late strike. The replay once again saw the Sky cameras at Kingsmeadow, with Chapple even granting them dressing room privileges, but another late goal - this time via a deflection - ended the romantic dreams.

From then on it was a simple fight for survival. There were brief moments of hope, with wins at Doncaster and Telford, but by the time K's visited Chester City in April - now minus coach Ian McDonald - things were very gloomy. A win was needed for there to be any hope of survival, but penalty misses by both sides meant that a nil-nil draw saw Kingstonian relegated.

The season ended with something of a whimper as another League Cup Final was lost, this time on penalties, and then just two days later came the news that was dreaded, but not exactly unexpected. Geoff Chapple was to leave the club.

By any standards the 2000/2001 season was not a good one, but particularly by the standards which had been set over the previous three years. Just three home wins in the league all season told the story, and at the end of the day the manager took the blame.

Overall it has to be said that Geoff Chapple's reign was an impressive one. Six trophies - the Isthmian League Championship, the Surrey Senior Cup, the FA Trophy twice and two Charity Shields - were won, with two runners-up spots as well. Out of 241 matches with Chapple in charge, 114, or 47%, were won.

Yet the real measure of success must be in the club's improved reputation. During the years with Chapple at the helm, the name Kingstonian has become more famous than it ever dared hope before. Trophy wins and cup runs attract the media, and the name Geoff Chapple does likewise. Players who would previously have thought "who?" have signed for K's because they knew that they would be involved in something special with Geoff Chapple in charge. Yet all good things must come to an end.

In the cold light of day it has been an amazing four years. Without Geoff Chapple there would have been no league win, no Wembley visits nor FA Cup runs and for those we must be thankful. That more success could have followed is now immaterial, but what is important is that we remember the reason that Kingstonian FC is now well and truly on the map:

Geoff Chapple. Thank you, and good luck.

The Chapple Record

Isthmian League Winners 1998
Surrey Senior Cup Winners 1998
Isthmian Charity Shield Winners 1998
FA Trophy Winners 1999
Conference Charity Shield Winners 1999
League Cup Runners Up 2000
FA Trophy Winners 2000
League Cup Runners Up 2001

Includes all competitive matches