Tom Lapslie

Thomas William Cavendish Lapslie (born 5 October 1995) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for National League South club Torquay United.

Tom Lapslie
Lapslie playing for Colchester United in 2015
Personal information
Full name Thomas William Cavendish Lapslie[1]
Date of birth (1995-10-05) 5 October 1995[2]
Place of birth Waltham Forest, London, England
Height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)[3]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Torquay United
Number 4
Youth career
Maldon Town
0000–2012 Ongar Juniors
2012–2015 Colchester United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2021 Colchester United 152 (3)
2021– Torquay United 80 (7)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:49, 31 July 2023 (UTC)

He joined Colchester United's Academy in 2012 for his scholarship, and made his professional debut for the club in January 2015. He made 170 appearances for the club between 2015 and 2021. He later joined Torquay United on his release from Colchester.

Career

Born in Waltham Forest, London,[4] Lapslie won the Chelmsford Youth League Cup final at under-12 level for his side Ongar Juniors against Chelmsford Youth. His team won 1–0 at Billericay Town's New Lodge ground in 2008.[5] He is also a graduate from the Chelmsford-based P.A.S.S. Academy.[6]

Colchester United

After playing Sunday League football for Ongar Juniors and spending time with Maldon Town, Lapslie joined Colchester United's Academy at the age of 16,[7][8] before signing a professional development contract with the club one year into his two-year scholarship alongside Michael O'Donoghue in April 2013. Then-academy manager Tony Humes described Lapslie as a "dynamic central midfielder" who is a "leader in the [youth] team".[9] During the 2013–14 season, Lapslie featured regularly in the successful under-18 side, helping his team to a Youth Alliance South East league title and Youth Alliance Cup double, starting in the 4–2 final victory over Bradford City at Valley Parade on 29 April 2014.[10]

Lapslie first travelled with the Colchester United first-team squad in December 2012, travelling to Bournemouth for their League One fixture, and travelled again in the 2014–15 season for a trip to Crewe Alexandra in September 2014, having been in good form for the under-21 development squad.[11]

Lapslie made his professional debut for Colchester on 2 January 2015 in their FA Cup third round tie with Cardiff City at the Cardiff City Stadium, where he came on as a 64th-minute substitute for George Moncur in the 3–1 defeat.[12] He then made his full debut and home debut on 24 January, starting and playing the full 90 minutes in Colchester's 2–0 relegation battle victory over Leyton Orient.[13] Lapslie was thrust into the first-team for successive league matches, admitting that "I can't believe it at the moment, I have to keep pinching myself... being involved with the first team".[14]

Lapslie scored his first senior goal on 21 February with the opening goal of Colchester's 3–2 win over Bristol City at the Colchester Community Stadium, heading in Elliott Hewitt's spilled cross.[15] He made his tenth league start on 11 April in Colchester's 1–0 defeat by Coventry City, announcing that he "couldn't have imagined playing so many games, before this season started".[16] He made twelve appearances in all competitions.[17] He was then offered a three-year contract to extend his stay with the club until the summer of 2018, which he signed on 23 April.[18]

Lapslie made his first appearance of the 2015–16 season on 17 October 2015 when he replaced Joe Edwards in the second half of a 5–0 defeat by Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium.[19] He scored his second goal for the club and his first of the season on 6 December, heading in an equaliser at 2–2 during Colchester's 3–2 FA Cup win over Altrincham at the Community Stadium.[20] He made twelve first-team appearances for the club during the season.[21]

Lapslie established himself in the first-team during the 2016–17 season, earning the Colchester United Young Player of the Year accolade at the club's end of season awards ceremony.[22] He played 40 games for the first-team during the campaign.[23]

Lapslie received the first red card of his career on 21 October 2017 against Coventry City. He was sent off for deliberate handball one minute after being shown a yellow card for a foul.[24]

On 12 May 2018, Lapslie took up the option on his contract to remain with Colchester United for a further year until at least summer 2019.[25] On 3 January 2019, he agreed a 2+1⁄2-year contract extension to commit himself to the club until summer 2021.[26]

After his contract expired in May 2021, Lapslie was released by Colchester United.[27] He had made 170 appearances and scored four goals since his professional debut in January 2015.[2]

Torquay United

Following his release from Colchester United, Lapslie signed for National League side Torquay United on 19 July 2021.[28]

Career statistics
As of match played 29 April 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Colchester United 2014–15[17] League One 111100000121
2015–16[21] League One 101210000122
2016–17[23] League Two 37000102[lower-alpha 1]0400
2017–18[29] League Two 29000101[lower-alpha 1]0310
2018–19[30] League Two 351100000361
2019–20[31] League Two 17000405[lower-alpha 2]0260
2020–21[32] League Two 130000000130
Total 15234160801704
Torquay United 2021–22[33] National League 31210—1[lower-alpha 3]0332
2022–23[33] National League 34530—2[lower-alpha 3]0395
2023–24[33] National League South 0000—0000
Total 65740—30727
Career total 18355160902036
  1. Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
  2. Three appearances in EFL Trophy, two appearances in EFL League Two play-offs
  3. Appearance(s) in FA Trophy

Personal life

Lapslie is the older brother of Gillingham midfielder George Lapslie.[34]

Honours

Colchester United U18

Individual

  • 2017 Colchester United Young Player of the Year[22]

References
  1. "Notification of shirt numbers: Colchester United" (PDF). English Football League. p. 21. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  2. Tom Lapslie at Soccerbase
  3. "Colchester United". FootballSquads. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  4. "Results for Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Record". Findmypast.co.uk. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  5. Pringle, Dave (21 May 2008). "Walling goal puts Ongar on track for the double". East London and West Essex Guardian Series. Epping. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  6. "P.A.S.S. Academy". P.A.S.S. Academy. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  7. Waldron, Jonathan (26 January 2015). "U's youngster Lapslie hoping for more first-team action after making senior league bow". Daily Gazette. Colchester. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  8. Marston, Carl (29 January 2015). "The rise of Colchester United teenager Tom Lapslie". East Anglian Daily Times. Ipswich. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  9. Hudson, Matt (25 April 2013). "Two More Given Offers". Colchester United FC. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  10. Marston, Carl (30 April 2014). "League-Cup double for super Colchester United Under-18s". East Anglian Daily Times. Colchester. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  11. Hudson, Matt (26 September 2014). "Young Duo Make Step Up". Colchester United FC. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  12. Pritchard, Dafydd (2 January 2015). "Cardiff 3–1 Colchester". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  13. "Colchester 2–0 Leyton Orient". BBC Sport. 24 January 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  14. Marston, Carl (5 February 2015). ""I have to keep pinching myself" – Colchester United teenager Tom Lapslie". East Anglian Daily Times. Ipswich. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  15. "Colchester 3–2 Bristol City". BBC Sport. 21 February 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  16. Marston, Carl (11 April 2015). ""We are now in touching distance" – Colchester United teenager Tom Lapslie". East Anglian Daily Times. Ipswich. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  17. "Games played by Tom Lapslie in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  18. "Lapslie signs a new contract with Colchester United". Daily Gazette. Colchester. 23 April 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  19. "Wigan 5–0 Colchester". BBC Sport. 17 October 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. "Colchester 3–2 Altrincham". BBC Sport. 4 December 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  21. "Games played by Tom Lapslie in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  22. Waldron, Jonathan (2 May 2017). "Colchester United wide man Brennan Dickenson named Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year". Daily Gazette. Colchester. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  23. "Games played by Tom Lapslie in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  24. "Coventry City 0–0 Colchester United". BBC Sport. 21 October 2017. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
  25. Marston, Carl (12 May 2018). "Colchester United duo sign up for another season". Green'Un. Ipswich. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  26. "Tom Lapslie signs two-year contract extension at Colchester". BT Sport. 3 January 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  27. "Hayden Mullins: Colchester United boss rings the changes as 11 players leave the U's". BBC Sport. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  28. Waldron, Jonathan (19 July 2021). "Ex-Colchester favourite Tom Lapslie joins Torquay United". Daily Gazette. Colchester. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  29. "Games played by Tom Lapslie in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  30. "Games played by Tom Lapslie in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  31. "Games played by Tom Lapslie in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  32. "Games played by Tom Lapslie in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  33. "T. Lapslie: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  34. "Charlton's goalscoring supporter: five facts about George Lapslie". Charlton Athletic FC. 30 August 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  35. "Newsletter 34" (PDF). The Football League. 14 April 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
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