John Bowie
John Bowie
John Bowie
● John Bowie, 1921 (HA)

born in Scotland

John Bowie was born on Saturday, 12th January, 1895, in Govan, Glasgow.

The 5' 7½ (11st 0lbs) forward signed for George Easton's Thistle on Monday, 9th August, 1915, having most recently been with St Anthony's.

Aged 20, he made his debut appearance on Saturday, 21st August, 1915, in a 3-2 win at home to Morton in the Scottish Football League.

John scored his first two goals for Thistle on Saturday, 2nd October, 1915, in a 3-0 win at home to Aberdeen in the Scottish Football League.

He scored the last of his 72 goals on Tuesday, 15th November, 1921, in a 4-2 win at home to Clyde in the Lord Provost's Rent Relief Fund Cup.

He played his last game for the club on Wednesday, 26th April, 1922, in a 2-2 draw at home to Glasgow Select in a Benefit match, having clocked up an impressive 200 appearances as a Jag.

His club-list included St Anthony's, Partick Thistle, Dumbarton, Luton Town, Weymouth and Forres Mechanics.

We don't know where or when John died. *

* If you can help us to improve any of these marked points on The Thistle Archive, then please do get in touch →

Bio Extra

Another of George Easton's junior success stories, this left winger was signed from St Anthony's in August, 1915, and was a big hit in his first season, finishing as second top scorer with 12. The 5' 7½ speedy wide man was a fine crosser of the ball, and had an eye for goal himself. A great consistency ensured that his place in the team was regularly assured, and his goal returns were in double figures for each of his first five seasons, two of which (1916-17 & 1918-19) featured John as top scorer. All of this was great going for a winger.

Alas, things started to go horribly wrong for the player in season 1920-21. A bruising Glasgow Cup encounter at Shawfield in September, resulted in a cartilage operation being required, so serious that it was feared he may never play again. In reality, he did recover to play again, although he never regained the consistent form which had made him such an integral part of the side in those first five seasons. That injury kept him out for 4 months, but he was back just in time for the commencement of our Cup campaign, news which was received as a great boost at the time; the Thistle fans were certainly missing his goals. John played in all three of the 2nd Round games against Hibernian, but, would you believe it, received a skull injury in the third of these, another bruising battle at Celtic Park, in which Thistle prevailed by one goal to nil.

In his return to action for the Quarter Final replay against Motherwell at Firhill, and in the next game at Dens Park, John's contributions were as a stand-in at centre forward and left half, but he couldn't find a way back into the full strength team, and it was now Willie Salisbury who was fully in control of that left wing berth. To go from 5 seasons in double figures to zero would have come as a major disappointment for everyone concerned, but there was a fair degree of sympathy in the mitigating circumstances, especially with regards to the head injury which had knocked his confidence. As a mark of affection, the directors sanctioned a benefit match for John, which came to be in April, 1922, when 2,000 turned out at Firhill to see him in action for the 202nd and final time as a Jag, a 2-2 draw against a Glasgow Select side. He had recently been loaned out to Dumbarton, and would seek out a fresh start at Luton Town in October, 1922.

(WS)


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