Background and career
Christopher George Robin Powell (born 8 September 1969) is an English football manager and former player who is currently assistant manager at EFL League One club Luton Town. As a left back, Powell played for Southend United, Derby County, Charlton Athletic, West Ham United, Watford and Leicester City. He also made five appearances for the England national team. With Charlton he had three spells as a player over eight seasons and in the 1999–2000 season was part of the squad that won the First Division to be promoted to the Premier League. After finishing his playing career at Leicester City in 2010, Powell became first team coach. He then returned to Charlton Athletic as manager. In the 2011–12 season, Charlton were promoted to the Championship as League One champions in Powell's first full season as a manager. He has also managed Huddersfield Town from 2014 to 2015. He was assistant manager at Derby County from 2016 to 2017, including a spell as caretaker manager. He then managed Southend United from January 2018 to March 2019. Powell served as chairman of the Professional Footballers' Association from November 2005 until he retired. In October 2009 Powell was named as one of 50 ambassadors for England's 2018 World Cup bid.
After leaving Raynes Park High School, Powell spent the 1985–86 season playing for the Epsom & Ewell youth team alongside a young Matt Elliott. He began his professional career in December 1987 as a trainee at Crystal Palace with Ian Wright but failed to become a regular with the first team. He spent time on loan at Aldershot, where he made 11 appearances.
In August 1990, Powell moved on a free transfer to Essex club Southend United. In six years at the club Powell made 288 first-team appearances. In November 2004 a BBC poll of Southend United supporters voted Powell their all-time cult hero. One fan described him as "A very skilled, left-footed defender, who could quite possibly be considered one of the nicest men in football, a true gent."
In January 1996 Powell moved to Derby County for a fee of £750,000. He made 99 first-team appearances before being transferred to Charlton Athletic in June 1998 for a fee of £825,000. Powell was a favourite of the Derby fans, and won the Supporters' Player of the Year award for the 1996–97 season. He scored twice during his spell at Derby, with both goals coming in the 1997–98 season: against Everton in the league and Southampton in the FA Cup.
While at Charlton, he made 200 first-team appearances, and evidently caught the eye of Sven-Göran Eriksson, who picked him for the England team in 2001, at the unusually late age of 31. He was the oldest England debutant since Syd Owen in 1954. At Charlton he delighted the crowds after each home victory with his exuberant leaps of celebration. Powell scored twice during his first spell with the Addicks, with both goals coming against Tottenham Hotspur; once in the league and once in the FA Cup. Shortly after the start of the 2004–05 season, Powell was allowed to move to West Ham United, where he played a major part in their successful promotion campaign. However, during the summer of 2005 he and West Ham were unable to agree terms for a further contract and he returned to Charlton on a one-year contract, with a suggestion that he would develop his coaching skills. Typically consistent performance belying his years throughout 2005–06 saw Powell regain his place as Charlton's first choice left back, rotated with loanee Jonathan Spector, due to Hermann Hreiðarsson's move to the centre of defence. On 1 July 2006, he signed a one-year contract with Premiership newcomers Watford as Aidy Boothroyd looked to add some experience to his youthful squad. He was released by the club after one year. In July 2007, Powell returned to Charlton for a third spell, primarily as a coach. He made his last appearance for Charlton on 4 May 2008, coming on as substitute for the last five minutes in the final game of the season, against Coventry, and scoring only his third goal for the club to seal a 4–1 victory.
Powell joined League Two side AFC Bournemouth on a trial basis in July 2008. whilst the club looked to see if he could bring much needed experience to their defence. He joined Leicester City on a six-month contract on 23 August 2008. He made his debut against Fulham in Leicester's League Cup second round 3–2 defeat, playing the full 90 minutes. On 6 December 2008, Powell started his 750th career appearance against former club Southend; Leicester won the game 3–0. He signed a contract extension that would see him stay at the club until the end of the 2008–09 season on 5 January 2009. In July 2009, Powell signed a contract to be a player-coach at Leicester City, becoming first team development coach, and also re-registering himself as a player. With teammates Bruno Berner out with a calf injury and Ryan McGivern struggling with form, Powell played his first league match on 26 January 2010, in a 1–0 defeat to Barnsley. He retired from playing at the end of the 2009–10 season; his final appearance came on 27 March 2010 against his former club Derby County.
