Carlton Chapman, former India football team captain, passes away

Bengaluru, October 12: Former India football team captain Carlton Chapman breathed his last on Monday (October 12). He was 49. Chapman was hospitalised for acute back pain on Sunday night in Bengaluru and passed away after heart failure.

A product of the Tata Football Academy in 1990 after his graduation. Three years later, Chapman joined Kolkata giants East Bengal and scored a hat-trick against Iraq club Al Zawra in the Asian Cup Winners Cup.

But his champagne days as a footballer came in the mid 90s after moving to JCT in 1995. Chapman won 14 trophies with the Punjab-based club and formed a deadly combination with IM Vijayan and Bhaichung Bhutia. A mid-fielder with immense creativity, Chapman was also instrumental in JCT winning the inaugural National Football League.

After leaving JCT, Chapman joined now defunct FC Kochin and after a year he returned to East Bengal in the late 90s. Chapman shone once again for them helping the Kolkatans win the NFL by just a point ahead of arch-rivals Mohun Bagan.

Chapman also did well for India and led in a few matches. After retirement, the Bengaluru-born footballer joined TFA as an instructor and worked with them for six years. After his TFA stint, he became manager of of Royal Wahingdo club in Shillong and guided them to three successive Shillong Premier League titles and the Bordoloi Trophy in 2011.

Chapman took over as the technical director of Quartz FC in Kozhikode in 2017 and he continued to be in that role.