In his career he appeared in Sète (1921–1924), Nîmes (1927–1929), Racing Club de France (1929–1932), Antibes (1932–1933), Nice (1933–1934), and Hispano-Bastidienne (1934–1935).

The Lille manager was given a lifetime ban, but Villaplane, who was strongly suspected of fixing the matches, received only a small penalty.

At the beginning of World War II, Villaplane became involved in the Parisian black market and in racketeering the local Jewish population.

Members utilised their criminal expertise and networks for the Nazi security services in occupied France and Vichy.

He was arrested by the SS in 1943 for the theft of a quantity of precious stones and imprisoned at the Compiègne camp; Lafont succeeded in obtaining his release.

On 11 June 1944, the day following the massacre at Oradour-sur-Glane, his squad had 52 people executed in Mussidan, with claims that Villaplane himself was also involved with the shootings at hand.