Herbert Chapman facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 19 January 1878 | ||
| Place of birth | Kiveton Park, Yorkshire, England | ||
| Date of death | 6 January 1934 (aged 55) | ||
| Place of death | Hendon, Middlesex, England | ||
| Playing position | Inside forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| –1896 | Kiveton Park | ||
| 1896–1897 | Ashton North End | ||
| 1897 | Stalybridge Rovers | ||
| 1897–1898 | Rochdale | ||
| 1898–1899 | Grimsby Town | 10 | (4) |
| 1899 | Swindon Town | 3 | (2) |
| 1899–1900 | Sheppey United | ||
| 1900–1901 | Worksop Town | ||
| 1901–1902 | Northampton Town | 22 | (14) |
| 1902–1903 | Sheffield United | 21 | (2) |
| 1903–1905 | Notts County | 7 | (1) |
| 1904–1905 | → Northampton Town (loan) | ||
| 1905–1907 | Tottenham Hotspur | 42 | (16) |
| 1907–1909 | Northampton Town | ||
| Teams managed | |||
| 1907–1912 | Northampton Town | ||
| 1912–1918 | Leeds City | ||
| 1921–1925 | Huddersfield Town | ||
| 1925–1934 | Arsenal | ||
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Herbert Chapman (born January 19, 1878 – died January 6, 1934) was an English football player and manager. Even though his playing career was not very famous, he became one of the most important and successful managers in the early 1900s. He sadly passed away suddenly in 1934. Many people believe he was one of the greatest thinkers in football history.
As a player, Chapman played for many different clubs. He played in both the Football League and for smaller, non-League teams. He didn't achieve much as a player. He played in fewer than 40 League games over ten years and didn't win any big trophies.
However, he found great success as a manager. His first big role was at Northampton Town from 1908 to 1912. He led them to win the Southern League title. This success caught the eye of bigger clubs. He then moved to Leeds City, where he started to improve the team. But then World War I began. After the war, Leeds City faced problems with rules about player payments. The club was eventually shut down. Chapman was first banned from football, but he successfully appealed this decision.
He then became manager of Huddersfield Town. There, he won an FA Cup and two First Division titles in just four years. In 1925, Arsenal convinced Chapman to join them. He led Arsenal to win their very first major trophies: one FA Cup and two First Division titles. His work at Arsenal helped them become the strongest team of the 1930s. They won five League titles and two FA Cups in that decade. Sadly, Chapman did not live to see all of his team's success. He died suddenly from pneumonia in 1934, at the age of 55.
Chapman is famous for making Arsenal much better. He brought in new tactics, like the "WM formation," which is still part of modern football. He also introduced new training methods and used physiotherapists. He was the one who truly led the team, not the club's board members. He also pushed for things like floodlighting at stadiums, European club competitions, and numbered shirts for players. He has received many awards and tributes since his death.
Contents
Early Life & Family Background
Herbert Chapman was born in Kiveton Park, near Rotherham, England, on January 19, 1878. His father, John, worked as a coal miner. But Herbert was very smart and chose a different path. He earned a place at Sheffield Technical College. There, he studied mining engineering.
Chapman was one of eleven children. His family loved sports, and two of his brothers also played professional football. His younger brother, Harry, was the most successful. Harry played for The Wednesday in the 1900s. He won two League Championships and an FA Cup. His older brother, Thomas, played for Grimsby Town. Another brother, Matthew, later became a director at Grimsby Town.
Playing Career Highlights
Chapman's playing career was not very remarkable. He often played as an amateur. This meant he could only play for a club if he could find a job nearby. He started playing as a youth for his local team, Kiveton Park Colliery. He won the Hatchard Cup with them in 1896.
He then joined several other clubs, including Ashton North End, Stalybridge Rovers, and Rochdale. These teams were all part of the Lancashire League. Chapman played as an inside right. He wasn't as skilled as his brother Harry, but he was strong and tough.
In 1898, he moved to Grimsby Town in the Second Division. He was still an amateur and worked as a solicitor to support himself. He later played for Swindon Town and Sheppey United. In 1901, he finally became a professional player for Northampton Town. He was their top scorer that season with 14 goals in 22 games.
After impressing in an FA Cup match, he joined Sheffield United. He played 22 matches there. He then moved to Notts County for £300. In 1905, he transferred to Tottenham Hotspur for £70. He scored eleven goals for Spurs in the 1905–06 season. By 1907, he decided to leave professional football. He wanted to focus on his engineering career.
Managerial Career Beginnings
Northampton Town's Turnaround
In 1907, Herbert Chapman was about to leave Tottenham Hotspur. He suggested his teammate, Walter Bull, for the manager job at his old club, Northampton Town. But Bull changed his mind and suggested Chapman instead. Chapman decided not to retire from football. He agreed to become the player-manager for Northampton Town.
Northampton had finished last in the Southern League for two seasons in a row. But Chapman quickly changed their fortunes. At that time, teams rarely used specific tactics. Chapman wanted to change this. He believed that "a team can attack for too long." He started creating a clear tactical plan for all his players. He moved the half back players (midfielders) further back. This gave his forwards more space. It also drew the opposing defenders out of their penalty area. He encouraged his own defenders to pass the ball out of trouble.
Slowly, he developed a style of football that was very organized and focused on quick counter-attacks. This was different from how most teams played back then, but it worked very well. After losing to Northampton, Swindon Town's England international Harold Fleming told Chapman, "You have something more than a team: you have a machine."
To make his system work best, Chapman asked the club chairman to buy new players. They paid their first-ever transfer fee, £400, for Welsh international Lloyd Davies. They also signed winger Fred McDiarmid and playmaker centre half David McCartney. With these new players, Northampton finished eighth in Chapman's first season. With more new signings, like Albert Lewis, they won the Southern League title in 1908–09. Lewis was the top scorer that season.
Chapman stopped playing first-class football in January 1909. He showed his talent for finding good players by signing future England international Fanny Walden. As Southern League champions, Northampton played in the 1909 FA Charity Shield but lost 2–0 to Newcastle United. Although they didn't win the Southern League title again under Chapman, they finished in the top four for the next three seasons. They also showed their strength in the FA Cup against First Division teams. They knocked out The Wednesday and played tough matches against Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United.
Chapman really wanted Northampton Town to join the Football League. But back then, there were no automatic promotion or relegation rules. This made it very hard. Chapman suggested a new system with more divisions and automatic promotion. This idea was rejected at the time. In 1912, he was offered the chance to manage Leeds City in the Second Division. With Northampton's blessing, he moved north to join the League team.
Challenges at Leeds City
When Chapman arrived, Leeds City had finished 19th in the Second Division. They were facing the risk of being removed from the League. Chapman played a key role in helping the team stay in the League. He then signed new players, like Jimmy Speirs. In his first season (1912–13), City finished sixth. Attendance at Elland Road grew from 8,500 to 13,000. Chapman's attacking team scored 70 goals, the second-highest in the division.
The next season (1913–14), City's performance improved even more. They finished fourth, just two points away from promotion. The club was confident of promotion in 1914–15. However, World War I started and disrupted the season. Many men joined the army, and attendance dropped. Leeds City finished fifteenth.
League football was stopped for the rest of the war. Leeds City played in regional competitions. Many players were away fighting, so Leeds used "guest players." Chapman decided to help the war effort. In 1916, he became manager of a munitions factory. For two years, the team was managed by others.
Chapman returned to Leeds City after the war. But he suddenly resigned in December 1918. He then took a job as a superintendent at an oil and coke works. No reason was given for his resignation. As football started again in 1919–20, Leeds City was accused of breaking rules. A former player claimed the club made illegal payments to guest players during wartime matches. Leeds refused to show their financial records. This was seen as a sign of guilt. The club was kicked out of the Football League in October 1919. Five club officials, including Chapman, were banned from football for life. The club was shut down.
Huddersfield Town Success
Chapman was still working at the coke works when his ban was given. But by Christmas 1920, he lost his job. Soon after, Huddersfield Town asked him to be assistant manager. Huddersfield Town supported Chapman in appealing his ban. They argued that he was working at the factory during the war. So, he wasn't in charge of Leeds City when the payments were supposedly made. The ban was removed. Chapman officially became assistant manager on February 1, 1921.
Chapman was promoted to full manager the next month. He quickly made a big impact. He signed players like England international Clem Stephenson and 18-year-old George Brown. Brown later became Huddersfield's all-time top scorer. In Chapman's first full season (1921–22), Huddersfield Town won the FA Cup. They beat Preston North End 1–0 in the final. This was the club's first major trophy.
Like at Northampton, Chapman's tactics focused on a strong defence and fast counter-attacks. His team used quick, short passes. Their wingers would run with the ball and pass it low inside the defence. Chapman was in charge of all football decisions at the club. He made sure the reserve and youth teams played the same style. This way, players could easily join the first team. He also used a wide network of scouts to find the right players for his system. With money from the FA Cup run, Chapman signed more players like goalkeeper Ted Taylor.
With new players and Chapman's system, Huddersfield became a much stronger team. They finished third in 1922–23. Then, they won their first League title in 1923–24. They won by a very small margin. They were tied on points with Cardiff City. Huddersfield won because their goal average was slightly better. George Brown's final goal in a 3–0 win on the last day was very important.
After winning the title, Chapman kept most of his squad. They successfully defended their League title in 1924–25. Huddersfield started well. They had a tough period in October and November, partly due to an injury to goalkeeper Ted Taylor. But they bounced back. They regained the top spot with a 5–0 win over Arsenal in February. They finished two points ahead of West Bromwich Albion. This was the first time a title-winning team had not conceded more than two goals in any match all season. This showed how much Chapman valued a strong defence.
Arsenal's Rise to Dominance
In 1925, Chapman was planning to improve his Huddersfield squad. He wanted to win a third title in a row, which had never been done before. At the same time, Arsenal was looking for a new manager. Even though Arsenal had been struggling, Chapman decided to join them. He was attracted by the larger crowds in London and a salary of £2,000. This was double what he earned at Huddersfield.
Chapman immediately made an impact at Arsenal. He signed 34-year-old Charlie Buchan, an England international and Sunderland's top goalscorer. Chapman made Buchan the Arsenal captain.
Chapman and Buchan's arrival also happened when a new rule changed the offside law in June 1925. The rule changed the number of opposing players needed between an attacker and the goal from three to two. Buchan had an idea, which Chapman used. They moved the centre half from midfield to a "stopper" position in defence. The inside forwards were brought back to help the midfield. This changed the usual formation from 2–3–5 to 3–4–3, or a "WM" formation. This name came from the shape it made on the field. This meant the offside trap was now the job of the single centre half. The full backs were pushed wider to cover the wings.
Other teams had similar ideas, but Chapman made the "WM" system much better. He combined this tactical change with his own ideas. These included counter-attacking football, fast wingers, and a strong defence. Chapman explained his strategy: "The best time to score is right after stopping an attack. This is because opponents are then spread out in the wrong half of the field."
Arsenal finished second in 1925–26, behind Chapman's old team, Huddersfield Town. Huddersfield became the first English club to win three titles in a row. Arsenal spent most of the late 1920s in the middle of the league table. Chapman took his time finding the right players for his new system. He planned for success in five years. He kept only a few players from the previous manager. Instead, he brought in new talent.
In February 1926, he signed the fast winger Joe Hulme. That summer, he signed forward Jack Lambert and full-back Tom Parker. Parker later became captain. Even though Arsenal's league form was not great, they reached their first FA Cup Final in 1927. But they lost 1–0 to Cardiff City after a mistake by their goalkeeper.
Chapman continued to build the team. He signed David Jack in 1928, and Alex James and Cliff Bastin in 1929. He also improved the defence by signing Herbie Roberts as centre half and Eddie Hapgood as left back.
The signing of David Jack showed Chapman's cleverness in transfer talks. Bolton Wanderers wanted £13,000 for Jack. This was almost double the record fee at the time. Chapman managed to get the price down to £10,890. He was less successful trying to sign Jimmy McGrory from Celtic. Chapman offered a huge sum for McGrory, but McGrory, who loved Celtic, refused to leave.
Chapman's five-year plan for success, set in 1925, worked perfectly. Arsenal won their first major trophy in the 1930 FA Cup Final, beating his old team, Huddersfield Town, 2–0. Even though they finished only 14th in the League that season, this win motivated Arsenal. It set the stage for a decade where Arsenal would be the best team in England. They would eventually win five league titles.
Chapman had now perfected Arsenal's strong, counter-attacking style. He used a powerful front line with Lambert, supported by David Jack and Alex James. Alex James, with his excellent passing, became the key player for the team. Chapman used Bastin and Hulme as fast wingers. They could cut inside and shoot for goal or pass to each other. Chapman wanted quick passing and teamwork. He said, "All the men are expected to play to plan, but not so as to stifle individuality."
Chapman's fast-moving tactics meant the wing half players, like John and Jones, moved to cover the central midfield. They would drop back to defend when needed. Chapman also believed in a strong defence. He said keeping a good back line was "the rock bottom of football." Arsenal's defenders were told to play deep. With the help of the wing halves, they would fall back into their own penalty area when the opponent had the ball. This allowed the opponents to have a lot of possession until they reached Arsenal's 18-yard line. Then, they would face a strong defence. Once Arsenal got the ball back, usually through Herbie Roberts, the ball would be quickly passed forward. The wing halves would push up to support the attackers. This meant Arsenal could quickly send up to seven players forward to attack and score.
Chapman's system required his players to be very fit. He focused strongly on this. He was skilled at finding the right players for each role. He also adapted his system to fit his players' abilities. Chapman's fast, counter-attacking style was different from how football was usually played in England then. English teams focused more on dribbling and keeping the ball. Because of this, some people called Arsenal "Lucky Arsenal" or "Boring Arsenal." However, in Arsenal's first title-winning season (1930–31), they scored 127 goals in the League. This is still a club record.
Chapman had won both the League and the FA Cup in separate seasons with two different clubs. He wanted to win the Double (both in one season). No team had done this in the 20th century. In 1931–32, Arsenal finished second in the League and lost the 1932 FA Cup Final to Newcastle United. Newcastle's equalizing goal was controversial. But Chapman was not discouraged. He kept faith in his team and aimed for the 1932–33 title.
However, during this season, Arsenal suffered a very famous defeat. In the FA Cup third round, Arsenal played Walsall from the Third Division North. Arsenal was the league leader and had been in the FA Cup final the year before. They were expected to win easily. But five of Arsenal's main players were out with injuries or flu. Arsenal lost 2–0. This was one of the biggest FA Cup upsets ever. Chapman was very angry. He quickly sold one player, Tommy Black, who had given away a penalty, within a week. Another striker, Charlie Walsh, was sold a week later.
Despite the FA Cup setback, Arsenal recovered in the League. They scored 118 League goals in total. This included a 5–0 win over rivals Aston Villa in the title-deciding match. In the next off-season, Chapman became the first professional manager to lead the England team. He was in charge for friendly matches against Italy and Switzerland in May 1933.
Chapman noticed his Arsenal team was getting older. He told club director George Allison: "The team's played out, Mr Allison, we must rebuild." Chapman started this process. He signed Ray Bowden, Pat Beasley, and Jimmy Dunne. He also changed young George Male from left half to right back. Chapman would not live to see the end of the season or finish rebuilding his team. Arsenal started the 1933–34 season well. They were four points clear at the top of the league after a draw on December 30, 1933. This was Chapman's last match in charge.
Death
Chapman celebrated New Year in London. Then, he traveled north to scout a game between Bury and Notts County on January 1, 1934. The next day, he went to his home county of Yorkshire to watch Sheffield Wednesday, Arsenal's next opponents. He spent one last night in his hometown of Kiveton Park.
He returned to London with a cold. But he was well enough to watch an Arsenal reserve team match. Soon after, his illness suddenly got much worse. He developed pneumonia and quickly passed away. He died in the early hours of January 6, 1934, at his home in Hendon. He was buried four days later in St Mary's Churchyard, Hendon.
Chapman left behind his wife, Annie, and four children: two sons, Ken and Bruce, and two daughters, Molly and Joyce. Ken later became president of the Rugby Football Union.
Legacy and Innovations
Herbert Chapman was one of the first modern football managers. He took full control of the team. He didn't let board members pick the players. Besides his new tactics, he strongly believed in physical fitness. He started strict training programs and used physiotherapists and masseurs. He encouraged his players to talk openly about tactics. He held weekly team meetings. He also encouraged them to do activities together outside of football, like golf. He wrote regularly about football for the Sunday Express newspaper. A book of his writings was published after his death. It was called Herbert Chapman on Football.
Chapman was a fan of European football. He was friends with Hugo Meisl and Jimmy Hogan, who coached the famous Austrian "Wunderteam" in the 1930s. As early as 1909, he took his Northampton team to Germany to play 1. FC Nürnberg. At Arsenal, he arranged regular friendly matches against teams like Racing Club de Paris. Chapman suggested a Europe-wide club competition more than twenty years before the European Cup started. He often took his teams abroad to play foreign clubs. He was also one of the first managers to think about signing black and foreign players. He signed Walter Tull, one of the first black professional players, for Northampton Town in 1911. He tried to sign Austrian goalkeeper Rudy Hiden for Arsenal in 1930. But the government stopped it after protests. However, he did sign Gerard Keyser, the first Dutchman to play English league football, as an amateur that same year.
After watching a night game in Belgium in 1930, Chapman became an early supporter of floodlights. He had lights installed in Highbury's new West Stand in 1932. However, they were only used for training. Arsenal had to wait until the 1950s for official use in matches. Chapman oversaw many improvements at Highbury in the early 1930s. This included building the West Stand and adding a clock to the south terrace, which gave it the name "Clock End." He is also known for suggesting that the London Underground station Gillespie Road be renamed Arsenal. He even designed the scoreboard and turnstiles at the stadium.
Chapman pushed for the use of white footballs and numbered shirts. He also added hoops to Arsenal's socks. This made it easier for players to see each other on the field. He later made another change to Arsenal's kit. He added white sleeves to the previously all-red shirt and made the color brighter. This happened before a match against Liverpool on March 4, 1933. The same kit style of red with white sleeves or trim is still used today. The tradition of both teams walking out together at the FA Cup Final started in 1930 because of Chapman's connection to both clubs. This tradition has continued ever since.
Honours and Tributes
Herbert Chapman did not win any major trophies as a player. But as a manager, he achieved great success. He won a Southern League title with Northampton Town in 1908–09. He won four Football League titles: two with Huddersfield Town (1923–24 and 1924–25) and two with Arsenal (1930–31 and 1932–33). He also won two FA Cups: one with Huddersfield Town (1921–22) and one with Arsenal (1929–30). After his death, the Arsenal team he built continued to win. Under his successors, they won the 1933–34 and 1934–35 titles. This meant they won three titles in a row, just like his Huddersfield Town team. No team repeated this feat until Liverpool between 1982 and 1984.
In 2003, Chapman was added to the English Football Hall of Fame. This was to recognize his huge impact as a manager. In March 2005, an English Heritage blue plaque was placed on the house in Hendon where Chapman lived. This was the first time English Heritage honored a football player or manager in this way. In 2004, on the 70th anniversary of his death, The Sunday Times named him the greatest British manager of all time in a poll.
To honor his achievements at Arsenal, a bronze bust of Chapman was placed inside the East Stand of Arsenal Stadium (Highbury). A copy of it is now at the Directors' Entrance at Emirates Stadium. He is one of only two Arsenal managers honored this way. The other is Arsène Wenger. Also, Arsenal's white away kit for the 2007–08 season was dedicated to Chapman.
Huddersfield Town received a copy of Chapman's bust from Arsenal. This was to celebrate their 100th anniversary in 2008. They also played the first Herbert Chapman Trophy match against Arsenal on August 6, 2008. Arsenal won 2–1.
On December 9, 2011, Arsenal revealed a statue of Chapman outside Emirates Stadium. This was part of the club's 125th anniversary celebration. They also unveiled statues of former players Tony Adams and Thierry Henry.
Honours Overview
Northampton Town
- Southern League: 1908–09
Huddersfield Town
- FA Cup: 1921–22
- First Division (2): 1923–24, 1924–25
- FA Charity Shield: 1922
Arsenal
- FA Cup: 1929–30
- First Division (2): 1930–31, 1932–33
- FA Charity Shield (3): 1930, 1931, 1933
Individual
- World Soccer 9th Greatest Manager of All Time: 2013
- France Football 24th Greatest Manager of All Time: 2019
Images for kids
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Herbert Chapman
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Chapman (standing far left), with the Huddersfield Town team of 1921–22, the season they first won the FA Cup.
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A bronze bust of Chapman stands inside Emirates Stadium as a tribute to his achievements at the club.
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The "WM" formation that Chapman implemented at Arsenal
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Chapman is buried in St Mary's Churchyard, Hendon, alongside his wife Annie, who died in 1958.
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Statue of Chapman outside the Emirates Stadium
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The English Heritage blue plaque outside Chapman's former residence in Hendon, the first such plaque to commemorate a football player or manager
