Bill Rowley

Immediately establishing himself as the first choice goalkeeper, he played 66 games in his two and half years with the club. He even scored a goal, being one of the scorers in a 12–0 route of Ironbridge in the final of the 1885 Burslem Challenge Cup.[6] He was called up to the England national team for the match against Ireland in 1886, to act as William Rose's reserve.[2]

He broke a rib in a 3–1 friendly defeat at Stoke on 1 May 1886, and as a result Vale successfully sued Stoke in county court, forcing Stoke to pay £20 to charity.[7] Nevertheless, he signed with Stoke in early 1887.[6] This move came after he signed a contract to play exclusively for the Vale and, despite the case being upheld in a Burslem court, Vale allowed him to leave for Stoke in December 1886.[6]

Rowley was a member of the Stoke side that were founder members of the English Football League in 1888. He made his league debut on 8 September 1888, keeping goal for Stoke in a 2–0 defeat by West Bromwich Albion at the Victoria Ground. He played 21 of Stoke' 22 Football League matches and kept three clean-sheets whilst restricting the opposition to a single goal on four occasions.[8] Stoke finished at the bottom of the table in both 1888–89 and 1889–90 and in 1890 dropped down to the Football Alliance.[3] The following season, Stoke were champions of the Football Alliance and returned to the Football League, where they once again struggled, finishing second last in 1891–92, before finishing in mid-table in 1892–93.[3]

He was a virtual ever-present throughout his first six years with Stoke and his form earned him a call into the national team for the match against Ireland on 2 March 1889. The match was played at Anfield, then the home of Everton, and the selectors made eleven changes to the side that had beaten Wales a week before with nine new caps, including Rowley's Stoke teammate, Tommy Clare at right back.[9] England won the match "quite comfortably"[10] 6–1, with Jack Yates scoring a hat-trick in his only international appearance.

Rowley's only other England appearance came three years later, also against Ireland, at the Solitude Ground, Belfast, when he was joined by his Stoke teammates Tommy Clare and Alf Underwood as the two full-backs.[11] Harry Daft of Notts County marked the occasion by scoring twice, either side of half-time, in an "unconvincing victory".[12]

A number of serious injuries interrupted his career, with Tom Cain taking over in goal for most of the 1893–94 season. Although Rowley recovered his place for the next season, he suffered from further injuries, including a broken breastbone,[13] with George Clawley replacing him. Clawley now established himself as first-choice 'keeper, and in his final three seasons at the Victoria Ground, Rowley managed only twelve further League appearances.[3]

In 1896, he ceased playing and became Stoke's player-manager, a position he held for two years.[3] He guided Stoke to their highest league position to that point of sixth in the 1895–96 season and 13th in his second season in charge.[3] In September 1897 Horace Austerberry was appointed secretary-manager of Stoke and Rowley was made general secretary.[3] A charismatic wheeler-dealer, Rowley often paid transfer fees from his own pockets, and even took Alan Maxwell from Darwen in exchange for a set of wrought iron gates.[2]

In August 1898, Rowley transferred himself to Leicester Fosse and even agreed his own signing on fee. This transaction caused uproar by the FA, who suspended Rowley resulting in his retirement.[3]