Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Thomas Bowman | ||
Date of birth | 26 October 1873 | ||
Place of birth | Tarbolton, Scotland | ||
Date of death | 27 August 1958 | (aged 84)||
Place of death | Southampton, England | ||
Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||
Playing position | Half back | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1891–1896 | Annbank | ? | (?) |
1896–1897 | Blackpool | 30 | (2) |
1897–1901 | Aston Villa | 100 | (2) |
1901–1904 | Southampton | 88 | (2) |
1904–1909 | Portsmouth | 85 | (3) |
1909–1912 | Eastleigh Athletic | ? | (?) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
Thomas "Tommy" Bowman (26 October 1873 in Tarbolton – 27 August 1958 in Southampton) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a half back in the 1902 FA Cup final for Southampton.
Bowman began his professional career at Blackpool in 1896, making his debut in the club's first-ever game in the Football League, a 3–1 defeat at Lincoln City on 5 September. His thirty league appearances in 1896–97 made him an ever-present in the team.
He joined Aston Villa the following season where he gained a reputation as a strong, determined centre-half. He went on to make one hundred league appearances for the club (plus thirteen in the FA Cup) in four years, helping them to the League titles in 1898–99 and 1899-00. Bowman was also in the Villa side that lost a 1900 FA cup quarter final against Millwall Athletic that stunned the football world at the time.
In 1901, Southern League champions Southampton, anxious to replace Arthur Chadwick, who had moved to Portsmouth, signed Bowman. In his first season at The Dell, Bowman helped Saints to the FA Cup final, whilst finishing only third in the Southern League.