No 7 in the Imps all time top scorers Roy Chapman
Roy Chapman
(1957/58-1960/61, 1964/65-1966/67)
LCFC overall record :
Apps : 186 ; Subs : 1 ; Goals : 81
Signed by Bill Anderson as cover for the injured George Hannah, Roy Chapman would finish his first season as a hero, scoring two in our final game to seal the great escape. Still needing a point to stay up having come back from the dead 5 games earlier 18,000 crammed into the Bank to will the lads to it. A wall of noise cheered until the 51st minute when Joe Bonson (later to don the Red & White)scored then taunted Emery, boasting that we were down. The noise picked up again as only we Imps know how, driving, sucking in an equaliser. On 69 Hannah waltzed past two and centred. Chapman crashed home a towering header to become Chapman the Champ. Around the City, those unable to get in, huddled around the wirelesses. The Mighty Imps hadn`t finished yet, driven by the pride of the City. The City erupted in the 80th minute as the Imps took the lead. Harbertson went wide and centred for Chapman again, this time he slotted home.
Roy was a good servant for the Imps given he played for some pretty poor teams especially during his second spell at the club. He would score 15 the following season, 7 the next and 16 in our final season in the second division. Time and money had caught up with the Imps romantic dream. Competing against clubs with financial superiority borne of bigger gates had been a brilliant conjuring trick on the part of Anderson, but it could not last forever. Roy having bagged an impressive 45 goals from 105 League games was sold to Mansfield (136 apps, 78 goals).
Roy returned as player coach in 1965 finding the Imps in Division 4 having dropped through the Leagues in successive seasons. He made history in August of that year by becoming our first substitute, replacing Bunny Larkin. Roy was in charge of team selection and the playing side of the Club from March 1965 to October 1966 following the departure of Con Moulson but City won just 16 times from his 68 matches in charge. He was replaced by Ron Gray soon after the start of the 1966/67 season but continued as a player until the following summer. We would finish bottom of the football league as Roy managed 20 goals in 37 games.
Roy returned to management with Stafford Rangers winning the FA Trophy on two occasions and the 1971/72 Northern Premier League title. A brief spell in charge of Stockport County ended with the club having to seek re-election although he will be best remembered for signing George Best to Edgeley Park in November 1975. he also did a good job training his son, Lee Chapman, who went on to play for Arsenal and Leeds United. Roy died in 1983 at the very young age of 48.
Season 1957/1958 : 20th Div2 (Now Championship)
Apps : 19 ; Subs : 0 ; Goals : 8
Braces Notts County (2-2) , Cardiff City (3-1) – the famous game that kept us up.
Highest gate Woves FA Cup 21,747 (0-1), Cardiff 18,001 (3-1), Grimsby 17, 342 (1-4)
Typical gate 9500-12,000
Season 1958/1959 : 19th Div2 (Now Championship)
Apps : 35 ; Subs : 0 ; Goals : 15
Braces Sunderland (3-1)
Highest gate Grimsby 19,631 (4-4) Sunderland (3-1) 17386 Sheff W (0-1) 15,629 Scunthorpe (3-3) 14,679
Typical gate 9,000
Season 1959/1960 : 13th Div2 (Now Championship)
Apps : 18 ; Subs : 0 ; Goals : 7
Braces Scunthorpe (2-1)
Highest gate FA Cup 3 Burnley (1-1) 21,693, Sunderland (0-0) 16,483, Rotherham (0-1) 13,950
Typical gate 10,200.
Season 1960/1961 : 22nd Div2 (Now Championship)
Apps : 36 ; Subs : 0 ; Goals : 16
Hat Tricks Middlesborough (5-2)
Braces Swansea (2-1) Charlton (2-2) Southampton (3-2)
Highest gate FA Cup 3 WBA (3-1) 14,957 Luton (1-1) 10345
Typical gate disastrous 6-7,000
Season 1961/1962 : 22nd Div3 also 22 in Div 4 following season.
Apps : 2 ; Subs : 0 ; Goals : 0
Highest gate Posh (1-2) 11,052
Typical gate 5,500
Season 1964/1965 : 22nd Div 4
Apps : 13 ; Subs : 0 ; Goals : 5
Highest gate Halifax (2-3) 6,578
Typical gate 5100
Season 1965/1966 : 21st Div 4
Apps : 22 ; Subs : 1 ; Goals : 9
Braces Halifax (3-3) Tranmere (2-2)
Highest gate Doncaster (0-3) 7,499
Typical gate 2500-3500
Season 1966/1967 : 24th Div 4
Apps : 41 ; Subs : 0 ; Goals : 21
Braces Brentford (3-1) Halifax (3-3) Luton (8-1) Bradford PA (2-2)
Highest gate York (2-2) 7,389 3 derbies at 6K.
Typical gate 2,800
