[4] 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.

[7] 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.

[9] 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.

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.

[11] 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.

[18] 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.

[19] 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.

[23] Having served as a player coach under Nigel Pearson, Powell was retained by incoming Leicester manager Paulo Sousa in the summer of 2010.

[27] Both Pardew and Powell left ADO Den Haag on 28 April 2020 following the premature ending of the 2019–20 Eredivisie due to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.

Bradley Pritchard was signed from non-league Hayes & Yeading United Football Club and excelled in midfield, with Yann Kermorgant forming a formidable strike partnership alongside Wright-Phillips.

Captain Johnnie Jackson was a talisman all season despite numerous injuries, and Chris Solly, a product of the youth academy made the right back berth his own.

Clever loan signings were made throughout the season including Hogan Ephraim, Darel Russell, Dany N'Guessan and the return of Lee Cook.

[38][39] On 11 March 2014, Powell was sacked as manager of Charlton Athletic by owner Roland Duchâtelet; this decision came after a poor run of form with the Addicks sitting at the bottom of the Championship table,[40] although media reports have suggested that it was a reluctance to play players Roland Duchâtelet had brought to the club[41] and differences in transfer policy.

[42] On 3 September 2014, Powell was named the new manager of Huddersfield Town on a rolling contract, following the resignation of Mark Robins after the first game of the season.

[50] After 11 games without a win and with the club in 20th place in the league, on goal difference off the relegation zone, Powell was sacked as manager of Southend United on 26 March 2019.