Mike Dowler

Mike Dowler (born 12 October 1957) is a Welsh retired professional football goalkeeper. He spent most of his career in the U.S. indoor leagues where he was named the 1995 Continental Indoor Soccer League Goalkeeper of the Year.

Mike Dowler
Personal information
Full name Michael Dowler
Date of birth (1957-10-12) 12 October 1957
Place of birth Caldicot, Monmouthshire, Wales
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1975–1979 Newport County 19 (0)
1980–1985 Wichita Wings (indoor) 194 (0)
1985–1989 Tacoma Stars (indoor) 91 (0)
1989–1991 Kansas City Comets (indoor) 28 (0)
1991–1992 Tacoma Stars (indoor) 39 (0)
1993 Denver Thunder (indoor) 9 (0)
1993–1996 Sacramento Knights (indoor) 67 (0)
Total 447 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Biography

The son of a Welsh train engineer, Dowler began his career with Newport County in 1975. In the fall of 1980, Dowler moved to the United States and signed with the Wichita Wings of the Major Indoor Soccer League. He was a 1983-1984 second team All Star with the Wichita Wings. On September 26, 1985, he signed as a free agent with the Tacoma Stars.[2] On February 1, 1986, he had reconstructive knee surgery which put him out until May 1987.[3] He then injured his hand early in the 1988-1989 season, losing most of the season. On August 1, 1989, he signed with the Kansas City Comets. The Comets folded at the end of the season and the Stars picked him up for the 1991-1992 season. The Stars folded at the end of the season and Dowler found himself without a team until October. That month, the Dayton Dynamo lost their goalies during the pre-season. They then signed Dowler to a short term contract.[4] While he remained with the Dynamo as an "on call" backup goalkeeper, he never played a regular season game. In January 1993, he signed with the Denver Thunder of the National Professional Soccer League.[5] He finished the season with the Thunder, then worked for a financial services company in Federal Way, Washington until signed by the Sacramento Knights of the Continental Indoor Soccer League on a two-game contract in August 1994. He won both games and was signed by the team for the remainder of the season.[6] He then spent the next two seasons with the Knights before breaking his left arm with a month left in the 1995 season. He returned for the 1996 season, but suffered from several injuries including a sprained ankle at the start of the season and another broken left arm during the season.[7] As a result of these injuries, Dowler retired at the end of the season. He currently employed as a lecturer.

References
  1. Rollin, Jack, ed. (1981). Rothmans Football Yearbook: 1981–82. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 240. ISBN 0-362-02046-9. OCLC 868301130.
  2. Ehlo, Chris (April 24, 1988). "Workaholic Dowler Does Job for Stars: He Makes Sockers' Job Tougher by Keeping His Team in Game". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 12, 2012.
  3. BASEMENT-BUILT STARS RIDING HIGH, OPEN PLAYOFFS TOMORROW IN TACOMA
  4. DYNAMO BOUNCE BACK IN TOURNEY Dayton Daily News (OH) - Saturday, October 24, 1992
  5. NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL SOCCER LEAGUE FINAL OFFICIAL STATISTICS -- 1992-1993
  6. DOWLER TAKES ADVANTAGE OF HIS SHOT WITH KNIGHTS SACRAMENTO BEE - Monday, August 16, 1993
  7. KNIGHTS GOALIE NEAR THE END? - INJURIES MAY FORCE DOWLER OUT The Sacramento Bee - Sunday, October 6, 1996
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