Frank Bowyer

Francis "Frank" Bowyer (10 April 1922 – 11 November 1999) was an English footballer who played as an inside forward for Stoke City.[1][2]

Frank Bowyer
Personal information
Full name Francis Bowyer[1]
Date of birth (1922-04-10)10 April 1922[1]
Place of birth Chesterton, England[1]
Date of death 11 November 1999(1999-11-11) (aged 77)[2]
Place of death Truro, England[2]
Position(s) Inside forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1937–1960 Stoke City 398 (137)
1960–1963 Macclesfield Town 114 (69)
Total 512 (206)
Managerial career
1960–1963 Macclesfield Town
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Bowyer was born in Chesterton, Staffordshire and played for Stoke-on-Trent schools before joining Stoke City's ground staff at 15. He signed professional forms in July 1939 just before the start of World War II and he played 28 matches in 1940–41 as also guested for Derby County during the war. He missed all of Stoke's 1946–47 season due to his national service.[2] He was demobbed in February 1948 and made his Football League debut two months short of his 26th birthday some nine years after signing as a professional.[2]

He was renowned for his powerful volley shot and he top scored for Stoke in 1948–49 scoring 21 goals which put him up there with the best in the country.[2] He then handed in a transfer request which was accepted by manager Bob McGrory who wanted to swap him for Bolton's Willie Moir but Bowyer changed his mind and withdrew his request and he remained at Stoke for the rest of his career.[2] He top scored again in 1949–50 with 15 then with 19 in 1950–51. Stoke under new manager Frank Taylor suffered relegation in 1952–53 and Bowyer was top goalscorer in 1953–54, 1955–56 and 1959–60 as Stoke failed to gain a return to the top flight.[2] Taylor paid the price for failure and was replaced by Tony Waddington who deemed the 38-year-old Bowyer surplus to requirements and he was released which caused some controversy as he was only three league goals short of Freddie Steele's record of 140.[2] He ended his career with three years as a player manager of Macclesfield Town.[2]

Post retirement

He moved to Newquay with his wife where he became a school caretaker.[2] He died in a hospital in Truro after a short illness in November 1999 aged 77.[2]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[3]
Club Season League FA Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Stoke City 1947–48 First Division 100010
1948–49 First Division 3121403521
1949–50 First Division 4215104315
1950–51 First Division 3916434319
1951–52 First Division 15140191
1952–53 First Division 29320313
1953–54 Second Division 4114344418
1954–55 Second Division 2913623515
1955–56 Second Division 4216524718
1956–57 Second Division 3814103914
1957–58 Second Division 36550415
1958–59 Second Division 24620266
1959–60 Second Division 3113113214
Total 3981373812436149
Macclesfield Town 1960–61 Cheshire League 412962214932
1961–62 Cheshire League 422520745129
1962–63 Cheshire League 311500413516
Total 114698213613577
Career total 5122064614136571226

References

  1. Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
  2. Stoke City 101 Golden Greats. Desert Islands Books. 2002. ISBN 1-874287554.
  3. Frank Bowyer at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
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