John Bowman (footballer)

English footballer and manager

John BowmanPersonal information

Full name|  John William Bowman
Date of birth|  (1879-04-23)23 April 1879
Place of birth|  Middlesbrough, England
Date of death|  26 January 1943(1943-01-26) (aged 63)
Place of death|  Sudbury, Middlesex, England
Height|  5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s)|  Defender
Youth career
|  Shelton Juniors
|  Hanley St. Jude's
|  Burslem Park
Senior career*
Years|  Team|  Apps|  (Gls)
1899|  Burslem Port Vale|  0|  (0)
1899–1900|  Stoke|  4|  (0)
1901–1905|  Queens Park Rangers|  175|  (3)
1905|  Norwich City|  |
Total|  |  179|  (3)
Managerial career
1905–1907|  Norwich City
1912–1916|  Croydon Common
1930–1931|  Queens Park Rangers
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

John William Bowman (23 April 1879 – 26 January 1943) was an English football player and manager.

He played one cup game for Burslem Port Vale in 1899, having previously appeared for several nearby amateur sides. He then spent two seasons with Stoke, playing four games in the Football League, before he joined Queens Park Rangers in 1901. In four years with QPR, he played more than 100 matches before he was selected to serve Norwich City as manager. He stepped down in 1907, returning to the game in 1912 for a four-year stint as Croydon Common manager. He then returned to QPR as a director, though he briefly took the managerial reins in 1931.

## Playing career

[edit]

Bowman moved to Staffordshire at a young age and started with Shelton Juniors before moving on to Hanley St. Jude's and Burslem Park before joining Burslem Port Vale of the Second Division in February 1899. He played at left-half in a 1–1 draw with Walsall in a Birmingham Senior Cup semi-final match on 13 March 1899, but was not selected again.[1] After being released at the end of the season he moved on to their local rivals Stoke. He played two First Division for the "Potters" in both 1899–1900 and 1900–01, before he signed for Queens Park Rangers in June 1901, playing as centre-half. At this time he weighed 11 st 7 lb (73 kg) and was 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) tall. He played 103 league games for the Southern League club, scoring two goals.

In addition to playing football, Bowman was also a renowned athlete (a strong runner and swimmer), a teetotaller, and a non-smoker. He married Elsie Ethel Annells at St John's Church, Kensal Green, in July 1905.

## Management career

[edit]

After carrying out the role of Club Secretary at Queen's Park Rangers, Bowman was Norwich City's first-ever manager and was in charge for 78 matches between 1905 and 1907, winning 31, losing 24 and drawing 23 games.[2] He also played several matches for the club.

Bowman is also the first person recorded as referring to the club as "the Canaries". The reference comes in an interview recorded in the Eastern Daily Press with the newly appointed manager in April 1905. The paper quotes him saying, "Well I knew of the City's existence... I have... heard of the canaries."[3] Norwich City historian Eastwood notes:[3]

> This as far as we can tell is the first time that the popular pastime of the day ie... rearing... canaries was linked with Norwich City FC... the club still played in blue and white, and would continue to do so for another two seasons."

After leaving City, he took up the manager position of Croydon Common before returning to his old club, QPR, as a director and later as team manager. Appointed in May 1930, he had to retire due to ill health in November 1931. Bowman remained in the North West London area and ran a sports shop at 7 Park Parade, Harlesden, with branches in Wembley and Marylebone.

## Career statistics

[edit]

### Playing statistics

[edit]

Club  | Season  | Division  | League  | FA Cup  | Total

|
|
|
|
|

Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals
Burslem Port Vale | 1898–99[4] | Second Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Stoke | 1899–1900[4] | First Division | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0
1900–01[4] | First Division  | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0
Total  | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0
Queens Park Rangers | 1901–02[5] | Southern League
Western League
London League  | 37 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 40 | 1
1902–03[5] | Southern League
Western League
London League  | 46 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 0
1903–04[5] | Southern League
Western League
London League  | 49 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 49 | 2
1904–05[5] | Southern League
Western League  | 43 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 1
Total  | 175 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 182 | 3
Career total  | 179 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 186 | 3

### Managerial statistics

[edit]

Source:[4]

Managerial record by team and tenure  Team  | From  | To  | Record

|
|
|

P | W | D | L | Win %
Queens Park Rangers | 31 May 1930  | 1 November 1931  | 58 | 23 | 9 | 26 | 039.7

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 39\. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
2. ^ "Manager History for Norwich City". Eastern Daily Press. Archived from the original on 12 December 2004. Retrieved 21 March 2007.
3. ^ a b Eastwood. Canary Citizens. p. 24.
4. ^ a b c d John Bowman at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
5. ^ a b c d "Seasonal Stats - Files". QPRnet. Retrieved 15 February 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* Profile at Croydon Common

* v
* t
* e

Norwich City F.C. – managers

* Bowman (1905–07)
* McEwen (1907–08)
* Turner (1909–10)
* Stansfield (1910–15)
* Buckley (1919–20)
* O'Hagan (1920–21)
* Gosnell (1921–26)
* Stansfield (1926)
* Potter (1926–29)
* Kerr (1929–33)
* Parker (1933–37)
* Young (1937–38)
* Jewell (1939)
* Young (1939–45)
* Lochhead (1945–46)
* Spiers (1946–47)
* Lochhead (1947–50)
* Low (1950–55)
* Parker (1955–57)
* Macaulay (1957–61)
* Reid (1961–62)
* Swindin (1962)
* Ashman (1962–1966)
* Morgan (1966–69)
* Saunders (1969–73)
* Bond (1973–80)
* Brown (1980–87)
* Stringer (1987–92)
* Williamsc (1992)
* Walker (1992–94)
* Deehan (1994–95)
* Megsonc (1995)
* O'Neill (1995)
* Franklinc (1995)
* Megson (1995–96)
* Walker (1996–98)
* Faulknerc (1998)
* Rioch (1998–2000)
* Hamilton (2000)
* Worthington (2000–06)
* Hunterc (2006)
* Grant (2006–07)
* Duffyc (2007)
* Roeder (2007–09)
* Gunn (2009)
* Butterworthc (2009)
* Lambert (2009–12)
* Hughton (2012–14)
* Adams (2014–15)
* Neil (2015–17)
* Irvinec (2017)
* Farke (2017–21)
* Smith (2021–22)
* Wagner (2023–24)
* Thorup (2024–)

(c) = caretaker manager

* v
* t
* e

Queens Park Rangers F.C. – managers

* Cowan (1906–13)
* Howie (1913–20)
* Liddle (1920–25)
* Hewison (1925–31)
* Mitchell (1931–33)
* O'Brien (1933–35)
* Birrell (1935–39)
* Vizard (1939–44)
* Mangnall (1944–52)
* Taylor (1952–59)
* Stock (1959–68)
* Dodgin (1968)
* Docherty (1968)
* Allen (1968–71)
* Jago (1971–74)
* Andersonc (1974)
* Sexton (1974–77)
* Sibley (1977–78)
* Stockc (1978)
* Burtenshaw (1978–79)
* Docherty (1979–80)
* Venables (1980–84)
* Jagoc (1984)
* Mullery (1984)
* Sibleyc (1984–85)
* Smith (1985–88)
* T. Francis (1988–89)
* Howe (1989–91)
* G. Francis (1991–1994)
* Wilkins (1994–96)
* Houston (1996–97)
* Hollinsc (1997)
* R. Harford (1997–98)
* Dowiec (1998)
* G. Francis (1998–2001)
* Holloway (2001–06)
* Waddock (2006)
* Gregory (2006–07)
* M. Harfordc (2007)
* De Canio (2007–08)
* Dowie (2008)
* Ainsworthc (2008)
* Sousa (2008–09)
* Ainsworthc (2009)
* Magilton (2009)
* Gallen & Birchamc (2009)
* Hart (2009–10)
* M. Harfordc (2010)
* Warnock (2010–12)
* Hughes (2012)
* Bowen & Niedzwieckic (2012)
* Redknapp (2012–15)
* Bond, Ferdinand & Ramseyc (2015)
* Bond & Ramseyc (2015)
* Ramsey (2015)
* Warnockc (2015)
* Hasselbaink (2015–16)
* Holloway (2016–18)
* McClaren (2018–19)
* Eustacec (2019)
* Warburton (2019–22)
* Beale (2022)
* Hallc (2022)
* Critchley (2022–23)
* Ainsworth (2023)
* Cifuentes (2023–)

(c) = caretaker manager
*[Apps]: League appearances
*[Gls]: League goals
*[P]: Matches played
*[W]: Matches won
*[D]: Matches drawn
*[L]: Matches lost
*[Win %]: Win percentage
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*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template