Darren Rowbotham
Encyclopedia
Darren Rowbotham is a Welsh
footballer who played as a forward
, making more than 450 appearances in the Football League
.
, Wales
. He began his career as a junior with Plymouth Argyle
, and turned professional with the club in November 1984. Three years later he joined local rivals Exeter City
. A key player in Exeter winning the Fourth Division
title in the 1989–90 season
, his goalscoring had linked him with possible moves to top-flight football. However, he sustained a serious knee injury which kept him out of football for a year, after which his career was restricted to the lower divisions of the Football League.
After four years at Exeter, where he scored 58 goals in 142 games in all competitions, he joined Torquay United
for a fee of £25,000. Only four months later he moved on again, following his former Exeter manager Terry Cooper to Birmingham City
for a fee of £20,000.
Lack of goals for Birmingham resulted in loan spells at Mansfield Town
and Hereford United
before he left on a free transfer, signing for Crewe Alexandra
before the 1993–94 season
. He spent two years there, followed by an 18-month spell at Shrewsbury Town
, before returning to Exeter in 1996. He remained at Exeter for four years, including a month on loan to Leyton Orient
, before being released at the end of the 1999–2000 season
. He ended his career playing alongside brother Jason
for Weymouth
in the Southern League.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
footballer who played as a forward
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
, making more than 450 appearances in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
.
Career
Rowbotham was born in CardiffCardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. He began his career as a junior with Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
, and turned professional with the club in November 1984. Three years later he joined local rivals Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
. A key player in Exeter winning the Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
title in the 1989–90 season
The Football League 1989-90
The 1989–1990 season was the 90th completed season of The Football League.- First Division :Liverpool overhauled a greatly improved Aston Villa side to win their 18th league championship trophy and their fifth major trophy in as many seasons under Kenny Dalglish’s management. To date, this remains...
, his goalscoring had linked him with possible moves to top-flight football. However, he sustained a serious knee injury which kept him out of football for a year, after which his career was restricted to the lower divisions of the Football League.
After four years at Exeter, where he scored 58 goals in 142 games in all competitions, he joined Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
for a fee of £25,000. Only four months later he moved on again, following his former Exeter manager Terry Cooper to Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
for a fee of £20,000.
Lack of goals for Birmingham resulted in loan spells at Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
and Hereford United
Hereford United F.C.
Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...
before he left on a free transfer, signing for Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
before the 1993–94 season
The Football League 1993-94
The 1993–1994 season was the 94th completed season of the The Football League. From 1993 to 1996 the league was sponsores by Endsleigh.-Football League Division One:...
. He spent two years there, followed by an 18-month spell at Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
, before returning to Exeter in 1996. He remained at Exeter for four years, including a month on loan to Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
, before being released at the end of the 1999–2000 season
The Football League 1999-2000
The 1999–2000 season was the 100th completed season of the The Football League.-Overview:The 1999–2000 season saw the league dispense with the traditional 1–11 numbering of players’ shirts in favour of squad numbers, a system that had been adopted by the Premier League a few seasons before...
. He ended his career playing alongside brother Jason
Jason Rowbotham
Jason Rowbotham is a Welsh former professional footballer who played as a left back.-Career:Rowbotham began his professional career in 1987 with Plymouth Argyle, spending five years at Home Park. In 1992, a move to Shrewsbury Town yielded no appearances and Rowbotham quickly moved on, to Hereford...
for Weymouth
Weymouth F.C.
Weymouth F.C. are an English football club based in the town of Weymouth, who currently play in the Southern League Premier Division.-History:Weymouth Football Club were founded in 1890 and played their first game on 24 September of that year...
in the Southern League.