Bowman: Adam

1908-1909 (Leeds City Player Details)

Centre Forward

Born: Forfar, Angus: 04-08-1880

Debut: v Tottenham Hotspur (h): 05-09-1908

5’11” 12st 0lb (1908)

Bowman started his football career in his native Scotland with St Johnstone and then East Stirlingshire. He joined Everton just prior to the 1901-02 season and although the Toffees challenged for the title Bowman had to be content with just four games in which he scored his first goal for them. The following season again saw little improvement for him as he scored twice in five games. He had scored three goals in nine League games at Goodison. Blackburn Rovers were in dire need of a trusted goal-scorer as they were deep in relegation trouble and they persuaded him to join them in March 1903. With only a couple of games to play, Bolton Wanderers were already relegated. The battle was between Blackburn and Grimsby Town for the second club to take the drop into the Second Division. On Easter Monday, Blackburn had to visit Bowman's former club. They surprisingly beat Everton 3-0 with Bowman scoring two of the goals. Four days later, Bowman scored another two goals in a 3-1 victory over Newcastle United. These two results meant that Grimsby Town, rather than Blackburn was relegated from the First Division. Rumours began to circulate that Blackburn Rovers had bribed Everton players to lose the game. Officials at Grimsby lodged an official protest and the FA decided to hold an inquiry into the game. A report by the FA claimed that there was evidence that the Blackburn Manager, Joseph Walmsley, had tried to arrange a win for Blackburn Rovers. However, they believed that the Everton players had not taking any bribes and that the final League standings should remain unaltered. Walmsley was immediately banned from having any further involvement with football. Bowman had scored five times in just seven games since joining the club and those goals had saved Rovers from relegation. The club eventually finished in fifteenth place in the League in 1903-04, as Bowman scored seven times in seventeen games. Despite trying to buy their way out of trouble with expensive signings, it was the same story the following season. Despite good individual performances from Adam Bowman, Bob Crompton and other Blackburn stars, they could only finish thirteenth. Bowman was the top scorer with thirteen goals from thirty-one games. In an article that appeared in the Blackburn Times a journalist wrote: "Like its two predecessors, the season of 1904-05 has been one of disgrace to the Rovers". The club finished in ninth place in the 1905-06 season. Adam Bowman was once again the club's top scorer with fifteen goals from thirty-two games. Bowman only played a few more games before moving to Brentford in the Southern League in May 1907. During his time at Blackburn he had scored forty-three goals in ninety-nine League games. He only stayed at Griffin Park for a season but scored twenty-two goals in thirty games before joining Leeds City in May 1908. He scored six goals in fifteen games for City but never seemed to establish himself ahead of Billy McLeod, Tom Rodger and Jimmy Gemmell as a regular striker. He never played League football after departing Elland Road, playing for Portsmouth from November 1909 and Leith Athletic and Forfar Athletic in 1910, in his native Scotland. He captained his home-town team from Centre-Half. He returned to England with Accrington Stanley in March 1912 before finally retiring from the game.