A youngster at Spurs, who was highly regarded but failed to progress through to the senior teams at the club.
While he scored a number of goals for Spurs, he was released aged 18 in 2000 and he had a trial with Norwich City before he moved to Cardiff City, where he started a procession of clubs as a hard-working midfielder. At the end of the 2000-01 season, Charlie went to Yeovil Town for a trial, but was unsuccessful so started playing for Harrow Borough in October, while also trying his luck on trial at Ayr United in Scotland. By the end of 2001, Mapes had moved to Edgware Town of the Ryman League where he stayed until the end of the season.
In the summer of 2002, Charlie moved the short distance to Wealdstone, but was on the move again in early 2003, signing for Berkhamstead Town. A chance came to try out for Wycombe Wanderers, but his trial was overshadowed by Andy Bell in a reserve game in April 2003, with Bell's hat-trick being more notable than Mapes' single strike in a 5-0 win over Colchester United reserves. However, in a second match, he won over Lawrie Sanchez and was signed at the end of May on a one year deal.
He featured for the Chairboys in the 2003-04 season, but, even though he scored three goals in ten league games, the club were relegated to the Third Division at the end of the campaign and Mapes was released. He found himself a new club in the shape of Crawley Town and stayed nearly the whole of the 2004-05 season, he left for the last month, on loan at Canvey Island, but was back at the club in time to play in the final of the Sussex Senior Cup Final, helping his side to victory.
In the summer, Charlie moved on once more, this time to Yeading, where he stayed until March 2006, when he joined Hendon on loan. Later that year he transferred to Hemel Hempstead Town, then Barton Rovers, from where he went on loan to Hayes and Yeading United.
His latest move was to Hendon in the summer of 2008.