John Lowey (footballer)

John Anthony Lowey (7 March 1958 – 5 August 2019) was an English footballer who played as a midfielder. Aside from three seasons in the North American Soccer League, one in the American Soccer League and one in Australia, Lowey spent the majority of his career in the Football League Second Division with Blackburn Rovers in England.

John Lowey
Personal information
Full name John Anthony Lowey[1]
Date of birth (1958-03-07)7 March 1958
Place of birth Manchester, England
Date of death 5 August 2019(2019-08-05) (aged 61)
Place of death Australia
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Forward
Youth career
1973–1975 Manchester United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1975–1976 Manchester United 0 (0)
1976–1977 Chicago Sting 22 (5)
1977 Port Vale 0 (0)
1977 Blackburn Rovers 0 (0)
1977–1978 Port Vale 0 (0)
1978 California Sunshine 21 (10)
1978–1980 Sheffield Wednesday 42 (4)
1980–1986 Blackburn Rovers 141 (14)
1986–1987 Wigan Athletic 3 (0)
1986Chesterfield (loan) 2 (0)
1987York City (loan) 6 (0)
1987–1988 Preston North End 4 (1)
1988 Chester City 9 (0)
1988 Brisbane Lions
Total 250 (34)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Lowey joined the Chicago Sting of the North American Soccer League in 1976 and claimed five goals and seven assists from 17 games.[3][4] He returned to the Chicago Sting for part of the 1977 season, but only made five appearances.[3] He spent July to August 1977 with Port Vale, spent September as a non-contract player at Blackburn Rovers, and then returned to Port Vale the next month.[4] He returned to the US in 1978 and signed with the California Sunshine in the American Soccer League, before going on to score 10 goals in 21 games for the Sunshine.[5] He returned to England to make his debut for Sheffield Wednesday on 17 October 1978.[2] He went on to score five goals from 36 league and FA Cup matches in the 1978–79 season.[2] However he was limited to just 13 appearances in the 1979–80 season as manager Jack Charlton led the club to promotion out of the Third Division, and left Hillsborough after making his final appearance for the "Owls" in the League Cup on 26 August 1980.[2] He signed with Blackburn Rovers in November 1980, who were now managed by Howard Kendall.[4] At first he was a back-up striker, with Norman Bell preferred in the starting eleven.[4] He went on to find success as a midfielder, and was an ever-present during the 1983–84 campaign.[4] He was dropped for Colin Randell in the 1984–85 season, before returning to favour during the second half of the 1985–86 campaign.[4] He went on to play for Wigan Athletic, Chesterfield (on loan), York City (on loan), Preston North End, Chester City, and Brisbane Lions.

Later life

After retiring as a player, Lowey lived the rest of his life in Australia and went on to own a Beauty Therapy training school and a licensed securities company.[6][7]

Career statistics

Source:[8][9][10]

Club Division Season League FA Cup Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Manchester United First Division 1975–76 00000000
Port Vale Third Division 1977–78 00000000
Blackburn Rovers Second Division 1977–78 00000000
Chicago Sting NASL 1976 175175
NASL 1977 5050
Total 225225
California Sunshine ASL 1978 21102110
Sheffield Wednesday Third Division 1978–79 2937200365
Third Division 1979–80 1310000131
Second Division 1980–81 00001010
Total 4247210506
Blackburn Rovers Second Division 1980–81 1920000192
Second Division 1981–82 1410031172
Second Division 1982–83 2250000225
Second Division 1983–84 4203020470
Second Division 1984–85 2130020233
Second Division 1985–86 2333120284
Total 14114619115616
Wigan Athletic Third Division 1986–87 30001040
Chesterfield (loan) Third Division 1986–87 20002040
York City (loan) Third Division 1986–87 60000060
Preston North End Third Division 1987–88 41003071
Chester City Third Division 1987–88 90000090
Career total 2503413316127938

Honours

Sheffield Wednesday

References

  1. "John Lowey". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  2. "John Lowey". www.adrianbullock.com. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  3. "NASL-John Lowey". www.nasljerseys.com. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  4. Jackman, Mike (1994). Blackburn Rovers : the official encyclopaedia. Derby: Breedon. p. 1. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  5. "The Year in American Soccer League - 1978". Archived from the original on 8 July 2009. Retrieved 2 August 2009.
  6. "John Lowey (1958-2019)". www.rovers.co.uk. 8 August 2019. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  7. "Where Are They Now? | Footballers | John Lowey". www.where-are-they-now.co.uk. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  8. John Lowey at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  9. "Stats". neilbrown.newcastlefans.com. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  10. "NASL-". www.nasljerseys.com. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
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