Tommy Bowman
Encyclopedia
Thomas "Tommy" Bowman was a Scottish
professional footballer
who played as a half back
in the 1902 FA Cup final for Southampton
.
in 1896, making his debut in the club's first-ever game in the Football League
, a 3-1 defeat at Lincoln City
on 5 September. His thirty league appearances in 1896-97 made him an ever-present in the team.
He joined Aston Villa
the following season
where he gained a reputation as a strong, determined centre-half. He went on to make one hundred league appearances for the club (plus thirteen in the FA Cup
) in four years, helping them to the League titles in 1898-99
and 1899-00
. Bowman was also in the Villa side that lost a 1900 FA cup quarter final against Millwall Athletic
that stunned the football world at the time.
In 1901, Southern League
champions Southampton, anxious to replace Arthur Chadwick
, who had moved to Portsmouth
, signed Bowman. In his first season at The Dell
, Bowman helped Saints to the FA Cup final, whilst finishing only third in the Southern League.
In 1902-03 he was a key member of the team that claimed the Southern League title, a feat repeated the following season when Bowman appeared in all 34 matches. In his three years with the Saints he was a fixture in the half-back line and missed only five league games, making eighty-eight league and thirteen FA Cup appearances, scoring three goals.
Although he never received full international honours, he represented the Anglo-Scots against the Scots in 1902.
In 1904, he joined Chadwick at Portsmouth
. In five years at Fratton Park
, he made a total of 144 appearances, scoring five goals.
He finished his career with Eastleigh Athletic
in 1912.
After retirement from football, he returned to his original trade as a boiler scaler, where he worked in Southampton Docks for many years.
Southampton
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
professional footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played as a half back
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
in the 1902 FA Cup final for Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
.
Playing career
Bowman began his professional career at BlackpoolBlackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
in 1896, making his debut in the club's first-ever game in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
, a 3-1 defeat at Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
on 5 September. His thirty league appearances in 1896-97 made him an ever-present in the team.
He joined Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
the following season
1897-98 in English football
The 1897–98 season was the 27th season of competitive football in England.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour...
where he gained a reputation as a strong, determined centre-half. He went on to make one hundred league appearances for the club (plus thirteen in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
) in four years, helping them to the League titles in 1898-99
1898-99 in English football
The 1898–99 season was the 28th season of competitive football in England.-Events:This was the first season in which automatic promotion/relegation was introduced between the First and Second divisions. Both Divisions were expanded to 18 teams....
and 1899-00
1899-00 in English football
The 1899–1900 season was the 29th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Chesterfield and Middlesbrough replaced Blackpool and Darwen in the Football League....
. Bowman was also in the Villa side that lost a 1900 FA cup quarter final against Millwall Athletic
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
that stunned the football world at the time.
In 1901, Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
champions Southampton, anxious to replace Arthur Chadwick
Arthur Chadwick
Arthur Chadwick was a professional footballer whose playing career included spells at Portsmouth and Southampton, before going on to be manager at Exeter City, Reading and Southampton...
, who had moved to Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
, signed Bowman. In his first season at The Dell
The Dell (Southampton F.C.)
The Dell in Milton Road, Southampton, England was the home ground of Southampton Football Club, between 1898 and 2001.-New stadium:Since 1896, Southampton had been tenants of Hampshire County Cricket Club at the County Ground, having vacated the Antelope Ground in the summer of 1896...
, Bowman helped Saints to the FA Cup final, whilst finishing only third in the Southern League.
In 1902-03 he was a key member of the team that claimed the Southern League title, a feat repeated the following season when Bowman appeared in all 34 matches. In his three years with the Saints he was a fixture in the half-back line and missed only five league games, making eighty-eight league and thirteen FA Cup appearances, scoring three goals.
Although he never received full international honours, he represented the Anglo-Scots against the Scots in 1902.
In 1904, he joined Chadwick at Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
. In five years at Fratton Park
Fratton Park
Fratton Park is a football stadium in the English city-port of Portsmouth. It has been the home of professional club Portsmouth F.C. since its construction in 1898.-Description:...
, he made a total of 144 appearances, scoring five goals.
He finished his career with Eastleigh Athletic
Eastleigh Athletic F.C.
Eastleigh Athletic F.C. were a long running amateur football club, formed by local railway workers, who for many years were Eastleigh's leading football club.-History:...
in 1912.
After retirement from football, he returned to his original trade as a boiler scaler, where he worked in Southampton Docks for many years.
Honours
Aston Villa- Football LeagueThe Football LeagueThe Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
championship: 1898-991898-99 in English footballThe 1898–99 season was the 28th season of competitive football in England.-Events:This was the first season in which automatic promotion/relegation was introduced between the First and Second divisions. Both Divisions were expanded to 18 teams....
and 1899-001899-00 in English footballThe 1899–1900 season was the 29th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Chesterfield and Middlesbrough replaced Blackpool and Darwen in the Football League....
Southampton
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
finalist: 1902 - Southern LeagueSouthern Football LeagueThe Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
championship: 1902-03 and 1903-04