Dickie Dowsett
Encyclopedia
Gilbert James "Dickie" Dowsett (born 3 July 1931) is a former English
professional footballer
who played for Sudbury Town
, Tottenham Hotspur
, Southend United
, Southampton
, Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic, Crystal Palace
and Weymouth
.
, Dowsett began his career at non League
club Sudbury Town before joining Tottenham Hotspur in May 1952. The inside forward
scored a goal in his one senior appearance against Aston Villa
on 21 August 1954.
Dowsett transferred to Southend United in May 1955 where he netted four times in 20 matches in the 1955–56 season. Whilst at the Roots Hall
club, he was spotted by Frank Dudley
, who recommended him to his former colleague Ted Bates
, who was now manager at Southampton
. He joined the "Saints" in July 1956 and featured in two league matches and one in the FA Cup but was unable to stake a claim for a regular place in the first team.
Dowsett signed for Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic in June 1957, for a fee of £100. At Dean Court, Dowsett was converted from a winger into an inside forward with great success. In the five years with Bournemouth, he was the club's top scorer in three seasons. Described as "determined, fast and useful in the air", the free scoring player found the net on 67 occasions in 169 matches. Bournemouth's current club badge features the highly regarded player's profile.
In November 1962 he joined Crystal Palace for a fee of £3500; at the Selhurst Park
club, he notched up a further 22 goals in 54 outings. In June 1965, Dowsett went on to play for Weymouth
of the Southern League
, where he ended his competitive career. In his first season at Weymouth, he helped the club take the Southern League Championship for the second successive season.
Dowsett is a member of the Dorset Cricket Society and recalled his football experiences in an after dinner speech he made to members in March 2010.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
professional footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played for Sudbury Town
Sudbury Town F.C.
Sudbury Town F.C. was an English football club based in Sudbury, Suffolk. Established in 1885, the club merged with Sudbury Wanderers in 1999 to form A.F.C. Sudbury.-History:...
, Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
, Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
, Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
, Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic, Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
and 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...
.
Playing career
Born in ChelmsfordChelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
, Dowsett began his career at non League
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
club Sudbury Town before joining Tottenham Hotspur in May 1952. The inside forward
Inside forward
In football, the position of inside forward was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries. The inside forwards would support the centre forwards, running and making space in the opposition defence, and, as the passing game developed, supporting him with passes...
scored a goal in his one senior appearance against Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
on 21 August 1954.
Dowsett transferred to Southend United in May 1955 where he netted four times in 20 matches in the 1955–56 season. Whilst at the Roots Hall
Roots Hall
Roots Hall is a multi-use sports stadium in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England, primarily used for football games and is the home of the Football League Two club Southend United. With a capacity of 12,392 Roots Hall is the largest football stadium in Essex, and is the current venue for the final of...
club, he was spotted by Frank Dudley
Frank Dudley
Frank Ernest Dudley, born Southend-on-Sea 9 May 1925 is a former professional footballer who played as a centre-forward for Southend United, Leeds United and Southampton....
, who recommended him to his former colleague Ted Bates
Ted Bates (footballer)
Edric Thornton "Ted" Bates MBE was a former Southampton F.C. player, manager, director and president which earned him the sobriquet Mr. Southampton.-Playing career:...
, who was now manager at Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
. He joined the "Saints" in July 1956 and featured in two league matches and one in the FA Cup but was unable to stake a claim for a regular place in the first team.
Dowsett signed for Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic in June 1957, for a fee of £100. At Dean Court, Dowsett was converted from a winger into an inside forward with great success. In the five years with Bournemouth, he was the club's top scorer in three seasons. Described as "determined, fast and useful in the air", the free scoring player found the net on 67 occasions in 169 matches. Bournemouth's current club badge features the highly regarded player's profile.
In November 1962 he joined Crystal Palace for a fee of £3500; at the Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park is an English football stadium located in the London suburb of South Norwood in the Borough of Croydon. It is the current home ground of Crystal Palace Football Club. Its present capacity is 26,309.-History:...
club, he notched up a further 22 goals in 54 outings. In June 1965, Dowsett went on to play 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...
of the Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
, where he ended his competitive career. In his first season at Weymouth, he helped the club take the Southern League Championship for the second successive season.
Post–football career
After retring from playing, Dowsett returned to Dean Court where he became Bournemouth's commercial manager, holding the post from June 1968 until March 1983.Dowsett is a member of the Dorset Cricket Society and recalled his football experiences in an after dinner speech he made to members in March 2010.
Honours
WeymouthWeymouth 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...
- Southern LeagueSouthern Football LeagueThe Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
championship: 1965–66