Gary Rowell
Encyclopedia
Gary Rowell, is a former footballer - most notably with Sunderland A.F.C. - and a current local (North East) radio football
commentator and newspaper columnist.
Born in Seaham
, he left school and joined Sunderland as an apprentice in 1972. His career was split (1972–84) between playing as a striker (albeit often coming from deep) and in midfield for Sunderland.
He scored 102 goals for The Rokerites, surpassing the previous record post-war goalscorer, Len Shackleton
, who had scored 101 goals. Rowell's record stood until it in turn was beaten by Kevin Phillips
in the early 21st century.
Gary was a talented player who many Sunderland
supporters felt was destined to become 'fully' capped by England. Unfortunately, his career was severely disrupted by a serious knee injury that he sustained during a game against Leyton Orient
(in which he had already scored the winning goal) during March 1979. Following a lengthy recovery, Rowell continued to score goals in the First Division at a healthy strike-rate, but he always looked likely to struggle to maintain full fitness for the whole of any season.
Sunderland
manager Len Ashurst
forced Rowell out of Roker Park
as part of a huge rebuilding plan in 1984, part of the slide which would ultimately take them to the third tier of English football for the only time in the club's history. Rowell moved to Norwich City
, but never recreated his goalscoring exploits because of a knee injury he picked up on his first pre season tour with the Canaries. The injury would ultimately blight the rest of his career, although he did go on to play for Middlesbrough
, Brighton and Carlisle, before finishing his career with Burnley
.
Gary is best loved for scoring a hat-trick for Sunderland
in a 4-1 win away at local rivals Newcastle United on 24 February 1979. Describing the match later, he said "When we hit the 4th I had a chat with Kevin Arnott
about whether to try for a fifth or just to take the piss. We decided to take the piss."
He now works as a radio summariser on Real Radio
, commentating on all Sunderland
games. He previously spent 7 years covering Sunderland's games on Metro Radio
and Magic 1152
.
In 2005 he was voted Sunderland
's all-time cult hero on the television programme Football Focus
, whilst in 2006, Sunderland fanzine A Love Supreme voted him their Best Player of the 1980s. Such accolades reflect his almost 'iconic' status on Wearside.
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...
commentator and newspaper columnist.
Born in Seaham
Seaham
Seaham, formerly Seaham Harbour, is a small town in County Durham, situated south of Sunderland and east of Durham. It has a small parish church, St Mary the Virgin, with a late 7th century Anglo Saxon nave resembling the church at Escomb in many respects. St Mary the Virgin is regarded as one of...
, he left school and joined Sunderland as an apprentice in 1972. His career was split (1972–84) between playing as a striker (albeit often coming from deep) and in midfield for Sunderland.
He scored 102 goals for The Rokerites, surpassing the previous record post-war goalscorer, Len Shackleton
Len Shackleton
Leonard Francis Shackleton, was an English footballer of the post-World War II period. Known as the Clown Prince of Football, he is generally regarded as one of English football's finest ever entertainers....
, who had scored 101 goals. Rowell's record stood until it in turn was beaten by Kevin Phillips
Kevin Phillips (footballer)
Kevin Mark Phillips is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Blackpool.Phillips was the Premier League top scorer in the 1999–2000 season with 30 goals for Sunderland, a tally which won him the European Golden Shoe. He remains the only Englishman to win the trophy...
in the early 21st century.
Gary was a talented player who many Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
supporters felt was destined to become 'fully' capped by England. Unfortunately, his career was severely disrupted by a serious knee injury that he sustained during a game against 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...
(in which he had already scored the winning goal) during March 1979. Following a lengthy recovery, Rowell continued to score goals in the First Division at a healthy strike-rate, but he always looked likely to struggle to maintain full fitness for the whole of any season.
Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
manager Len Ashurst
Len Ashurst
Len Ashurst is a former footballer, manager and football administrator in England.-Career:As a player, Ashurst was a left-sided defender. He joined Liverpool in 1953 as an apprentice. After being released, he joined Sunderland in 1957, where he would go on to spend 14 years...
forced Rowell out of Roker Park
Roker Park
Roker Park was an English football stadium situated in Roker, Sunderland. The stadium was the home of the English football club Sunderland A.F.C. from 1897 to 1997 before the club moved to the Stadium of Light. Near the end of the stadium's history, its capacity was around 22,500 with only a small...
as part of a huge rebuilding plan in 1984, part of the slide which would ultimately take them to the third tier of English football for the only time in the club's history. Rowell moved to Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
, but never recreated his goalscoring exploits because of a knee injury he picked up on his first pre season tour with the Canaries. The injury would ultimately blight the rest of his career, although he did go on to play for Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
, Brighton and Carlisle, before finishing his career with Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
.
Gary is best loved for scoring a hat-trick for Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
in a 4-1 win away at local rivals Newcastle United on 24 February 1979. Describing the match later, he said "When we hit the 4th I had a chat with Kevin Arnott
Kevin Arnott (footballer)
Kevin Arnott is an English footballer best known for his career with Sunderland.Arnott was a talented midfielder with excellent vision and ball control, who came to prominence during Sunderland's First Division campaign in the 1976-77 season...
about whether to try for a fifth or just to take the piss. We decided to take the piss."
He now works as a radio summariser on Real Radio
Real Radio
Real Radio is a network of adult contemporary independent local radio stations in England, Scotland and Wales and is operated by . Each station broadcasts local breakfast through to drive time shows and network programming in the evening and through the night...
, commentating on all Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
games. He previously spent 7 years covering Sunderland's games on Metro Radio
Metro Radio
Metro Radio is an independent local radio station based in Newcastle upon Tyne and broadcasting to Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Northumberland. The station's output is principally contemporary pop and dance music...
and Magic 1152
Magic 1152
Magic 1152 is the name of an Independent Local Radio station in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. It forms part of the Magic network owned by Bauer Radio. It shares a studio complex with sister station Metro Radio at the 55 Degrees North complex, next to the Tyne Bridge...
.
In 2005 he was voted Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
's all-time cult hero on the television programme Football Focus
Football Focus
Football Focus is a BBC television show, broadcast on BBC One on Saturday lunchtimes, covering football, presented from the 2009/2010 season by Dan Walker...
, whilst in 2006, Sunderland fanzine A Love Supreme voted him their Best Player of the 1980s. Such accolades reflect his almost 'iconic' status on Wearside.
External links
- Gary Rowell Column - Sunderland Echo
- Gary Rowell featured at sporting-heroes.net - Sunderland AFC
- Career information at safc.com
- Career information at ex-canaries.co.uk
- http://www.sunderlandecho.com/sectionhome.aspx?sectionID=5849