Arthur Rowley (footballer, born 1870)
Arthur Rowley (born 1870; date of death unknown) was an English footballer who played in the Football League for Burslem Port Vale and Stoke, and in the Southern League with Bristol Rovers.[1] He was the first player to score a goal straight from a direct free kick in the Football League.
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Arthur Rowley[1] | ||
Date of birth | 1870[1] | ||
Place of birth | Leek, Staffordshire, England[1] | ||
Position(s) | Right-half | ||
Youth career | |||
Leek | |||
Distillery | |||
North Staffordshire Regiment | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1896–1899 | Stoke | 57 | (0) |
1900–1902 | Bristol Rovers | ||
1902–1903 | Burslem Port Vale | 57 | (4) |
Total | 114+ | (4+) | |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Career
Rowley played for Leek, Distillery, and the North Staffordshire Regiment, before joining Stoke in 1896.[1] He became a useful addition to the Stoke squad, taking over the right half position from the ageing Davy Brodie.[1] He played four First Division games in the 1896–97 season, before becoming a first team regular in the 1897–98 and 1898–99 campaigns. He spent three seasons at the Victoria Ground, making 62 appearances.[1]
He played for Bristol Rovers in the Southern League before joining Burslem Port Vale in September 1902.[2] He played 27 league games in the 1902–03 season, as Vale posted a ninth-place finish in the Second Division.[2] He became the first player to score a goal straight from a direct free kick in the Football League on 7 September 1903, in a 3–2 defeat to Bolton Wanderers at the Athletic Ground.[2] He claimed two goals in 38 games in the 1903–04 campaign, but left the club before the start of the 1904–05 season.[2]
Career statistics
Source:[3]
Club | Season | Division | League | FA Cup | Test Match | Total | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
Stoke | 1896–97 | First Division | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 27 | 0 | |
1897–98 | First Division | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 0 | |
1898–99 | First Division | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 | 0 | ||
Total | 57 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 62 | 0 | ||
Burslem Port Vale | 1902–03 | Second Division | 27 | 2 | 2 | 0 | – | 29 | 2 | |
1903–04 | Second Division | 30 | 2 | 7 | 0 | – | 37 | 2 | ||
Total | 57 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 66 | 4 | ||
Career total | 114 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 128 | 4 |
References
- Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
- Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 255. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0. ASIN 0952915200.
- Arthur Rowley at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)