Robert Bernard "Robbie" Fowler (born 9 April 1975) is an English footballer, who plays for the North Queensland Fury in the
Australian A-LeagueThe A-League is the premier Australasian domestic football competition. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia, it was founded in 2004 following the collapse of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005-06...
. He is the fourth-highest goalscorer in the history of the Premier League.
Fowler scored 183 goals in total for Liverpool, of which 120 were scored in the Premier League. He subsequently played for
Leeds UnitedLeeds United Association Football Club , commonly referred to as simply Leeds United, or informally Leeds, are an English professional football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire...
and
Manchester CityManchester City Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Manchester. The team is currently a member of the Premier League.The first known competitive fixture was played in November 1880, when the side was known as St...
, before returning to Liverpool in January 2006. He moved clubs again 18 months later to sign for
Cardiff CityCardiff City Football Club is a football team based in Cardiff, Wales. Cardiff are currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City play their home games at the Cardiff City Stadium. Until May 2009, Cardiff played at Ninian Park....
. He refused a one year "pay as you play" contract extension and signed with
Blackburn RoversBlackburn Rovers Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire.The club was established in 1875, becoming a founding member of The Football League in 1888. It is one of only three clubs to have been both a founder member of the Football League...
on a three-month "pay as you play" deal instead. However in December 2008, he departed Blackburn and became a free agent.
He has been capped for
EnglandThe English national football team represents England in international association football and is controlled by The Football Association, the governing body for football in England...
twenty-six times, scoring seven goals. The most recent of these appearances came in the 2002 World Cup.
Early life
Fowler was born in
LiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
,
MerseysideMerseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. Taking its name from the River Mersey, Merseyside came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974, after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, and the county consists of five metropolitan...
, and brought up in the inner city area of
ToxtethToxteth is an inner city area of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is located to the south of the city, bordered by Liverpool city centre, Edge Hill, Wavertree, Dingle, and Aigburth.-Description:...
. At this time he was known as Robert Ryder, his mother's surname. He lived in Toxteth at the time of the 1981
Toxteth riotsThe Toxteth riots of July 1981 were a civil disturbance in inner-city Liverpool, which arose in part from long-standing tensions between the local police and the black community...
, when he was six years old. As a youngster he supported
Everton F.C.Everton Football Club are an English professional football club from the city of Liverpool. Having competed in the top division for a record 107 seasons, they have played more top-flight league games than any other English team and have won the League Championship 9 times — the fourth highest...
, regularly travelling to
Goodison ParkGoodison Park is a football stadium in Liverpool, England and home ground of Everton F.C. The ground was built in 1892, though it has been greatly developed since, having an all-seated capacity of 40,158....
. He played regularly for schoolboy team Thorvald, and once scored 16 times in a 26–0 rout.
In 1985 a 10-year-old Fowler was selected for Liverpool Schoolboys and was spotted by
LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is a professional football club based in Liverpool, England. The club plays in the Premier League, and has won more trophies than any other English club...
scout Jim Aspinall. He began training with Liverpool once a week and signed schoolboy forms with the club. On leaving school in 1991 he signed as a
YTSThe Youth Training Scheme was the former name in the United Kingdom of an on-the-job training course for school leavers aged 16 and 17, managed by the Manpower Services Commission...
trainee, and turned professional on his 17th birthday less than a year later.
Liverpool
Fowler's career began with Liverpool. He signed as a youth team player on leaving school in the summer of 1991, signing professional terms on his 17th birthday, 9 April 1992.
Fowler's first involvement with the Liverpool first team came on 13 January 1993, when he was an unused substitute in an
FA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association. The name "FA Cup" usually refers to the English men's tournament, although a women's tournament is also held...
third round tie against
Bolton WanderersBolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football club based in Horwich, in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester, England. They are currently in the Premier League....
. In the following close season, Fowler helped the
England under-18The England national under-18 football team represents England in international football at youth level and is controlled by The Football Association, the governing body for football in England....
team win the 1993 European Championship, before making a scoring first-team debut in Liverpool's 3–1 win in a first round
Coca Cola CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Carling Cup, is an English football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
tie at
FulhamFulham Football Club is an English professional football club based in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they celebrated their 125th anniversary in 2004, and are in the top tier of English football, the Premier League...
on 22 September 1993. Fowler scored all five goals in the second leg at Anfield two weeks later, making him the fourth player in Liverpool's history to score five in a senior fixture. He scored his first league
hat-trickA hat-trick in sports is associated with succeeding at anything three times, generally in three consecutive attempts. In North America it is often rendered as hat trick, with no hyphen. The Oxford English Dictionary lists it unhyphenated and gives a variety of examples published in the 19th and...
against
SouthamptonSouthampton Football Club are a professional English football team, nicknamed The Saints and based in the city of Southampton. The club were relegated from the Championship in 2009, and play in League One in the 2009–10 season...
in only his fifth league game. His first 13 games for the club yielded 12 goals, and he was rewarded with an
England Under-21England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
debut against
San MarinoThe San Marino national football team is the national football team of San Marino, controlled by the San Marino Football Federation. The team has enjoyed very little success, due to the republic's tiny population, the smallest of any UEFA country....
in November 1993, in which he scored England's opening goal in the third minute. Fowler was unable to sustain his goal-a-game ratio throughout the season, but finished his first season as the club's leading scorer with 18 goals in all competitions. It was, however, a disappointing season for Liverpool, as they finished eighth in the Premier League without making any impact in any of the major competitions, though the departure of
Graeme SounessGraeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager. He is perhaps best known as the former captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s, and as a manager notably with Rangers, Liverpool, Benfica, Galatasaray, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle...
as manager and the appointment of
Roy EvansRoy Quintin Echlin Evans CBE was a Liverpool football player who eventually rose through the coaching ranks to become team manager.-Career:...
as successor built up hope for the future.
In the
1994–95 season-Premiership:Blackburn Rovers ended their 81-year wait for the league title thanks to the strike partnership of Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton which scored a total of more than 50 league goals. Manchester United would have made it three league titles in a row if they had been able to turn a 1-1 draw...
, Fowler was an ever-present for Liverpool, playing in all of their 57 competitive matches, including the victory in the
1995 League Cup finalThe 1995 Coca-Cola Cup Final was played between Liverpool and Bolton Wanderers at Wembley Stadium on 2 April 1995. Liverpool won the match 2–1. Two Steve McManaman goals in the 37th and 68th minutes put Liverpool ahead, but Alan Thompson scored a brilliant goal for Bolton to give them some...
, and a match against
ArsenalArsenal Football Club are an English professional football club based in Holloway, North London...
in which he scored a hat-trick in four minutes and 33 seconds, a Premiership record. Fowler was voted the
PFA Young Player of the YearThe Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year is an annual award given to the player under the age of 23 who is adjudged to have been the best of the season in English football....
in two consecutive years in 1995 and 1996, a feat equalled only by
Ryan GiggsRyan Joseph Giggs OBE is a Welsh footballer who has played for Manchester United for his entire club career...
and
Wayne RooneyWayne Mark Rooney is an English footballer who currently plays as a striker for English Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team....
.
Throughout the mid and late 1990s, Fowler was widely considered to be the most natural finisher playing in England. Fowler sealed this reputation as he scored more than 30 goals for three consecutive seasons, up to 1997.
Stan CollymoreStanley Victor "Stan" Collymore is a retired footballer who was active at a senior level from 1990 until 2001.He was at one time the British transfer record holder when he moved from Nottingham Forest to Liverpool for £8.5 million in 1995...
, Fowler's strike partner from 1995 to 1997, said in his autobiography that Fowler was the best player he has ever played alongside. Fowler and Collymore were among the most prolific goal-scoring strike partnerships in England during the
1995–96- Premiership :Newcastle United were 12 points clear at the top of Manchester United, but Alex Ferguson's relatively young and inexperienced side overhauled them during the second half of the season to win the title....
season. In the same season he scored twice in a 4–3 victory over
Newcastle UnitedNewcastle United Football Club is an English football club, based in Newcastle upon Tyne, they play in the Football League Championship. And are renowned for having a very good fan base...
, a match voted the best of the decade in a Premier League poll. The match helped prevent Newcastle from winning the league, but it was not enough for Liverpool to clinch the title; they finished third while
Manchester UnitedManchester United Football Club is an English football club, one of the most popular football clubs in the world, based at Old Trafford in Greater Manchester. The club was a founding member of the Premier League in 1992, and has played in the top division of English football since 1938, with the...
were crowned champions. Fowler also played in his first
FA Cup finalThe FA Cup Final, commonly referred to in England as just The Cup Final is the last match in the Football Association Challenge Cup. With an official attendance of 89,826 at the 2007 FA Cup Final, it is the second best attended domestic club championship event in the world and the best attended...
that season, but was on the losing side as Manchester United won 1–0.
Fowler received a call-up to the
full England squadThe English national football team represents England in international association football and is controlled by The Football Association, the governing body for football in England...
and won his first cap on 27 March 1996 as a substitute in a friendly against
BulgariaThe Bulgaria national football team is the national football team of Bulgaria and is controlled by the Bulgarian Football Union. Bulgaria's best World Cup performance was in the 1994 World Cup in USA, where they beat defending champions Germany to reach the semi-finals, losing to Italy, and...
. His first start at international level was against
CroatiaThe Croatia national football team represents the Republic of Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by Slaven Bilić...
which was the England game following his substitute appearance. Fowler was part of the England squad for Euro 96, making two appearances in the tournament. On 14 December 1996, he scored four against
MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough Football Club , also known as The Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who will play in the Football League Championship for the 2009–10 season, following relegation from the Premier League. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August...
, including his hundredth for Liverpool. This meant he reached a century of goals one game quicker than his first strike partner,
Ian RushIan James Rush, MBE is a Welsh former footballer who played as a striker and is best known for playing with Liverpool...
.
That year, he also won a
UEFAThe Union of European Football Associations is the administrative and controlling body for European football. It is almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA ....
Fair PlayThe UEFA Fair Play ranking is used by UEFA since 1995 to grant three berths for the first qualifying round of the UEFA Cup.-Old club qualification system:...
award for admitting that he had not been fouled by, Arsenal
goalkeeperIn many team sports, a goalkeeper is a designated player that is charged with directly preventing the opposite team from scoring by defending the goal...
,
David SeamanDavid Andrew Seaman MBE is a former English football goalkeeper who played for several clubs, most notably Arsenal and most recently with Manchester City. He retired from the game on 13 January 2004, following a recurring shoulder injury...
at
HighburyArsenal Stadium was a football stadium in Highbury, North London, which was the home ground of Arsenal Football Club between 6 September 1913 and 7 May 2006...
after a penalty had been given. After unsuccessfully trying to convince the referee to change his decision about the penalty Fowler took it tamely and Seaman saved. However, Seaman failed to hold on to the ball and
Jason McAteerJason Wynne McAteer is an Irish former international football player. He announced his retirement from professional football on 12 June 2007,...
scored from the rebound. Though many people believe that he deliberately took the penalty kick poorly for reasons of fair play, Fowler said at the time: "As a goalscorer it's part of my job to take it and I wanted to score it. I tried to score. I never missed on purpose. It just happened, it was a bad penalty."
Fowler was part of a group of Liverpool players from the mid-1990s who were nicknamed "The
Spice BoysThe Spice Boys were a group of English and Irish Liverpool F.C. footballers from the mid-late 1990s, seen typically as being composed of Robbie Fowler, Steve McManaman, Stan Collymore, Jamie Redknapp, David James and Jason McAteer....
" by the press following a series of off-field controversies. The term was coined by the
Daily MailThe Daily Mail is a British daily tabloid newspaper. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper, The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982. Scottish and Irish editions of the paper were launched in...
, and arose due to misplaced rumours that Fowler was dating
Spice GirlThe Spice Girls were an English pop girl group formed in 1994. They consist of Victoria Beckham , Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. They are the most successful girl group of all time....
Emma BuntonEmma Bunton is an English pop singer, songwriter, radio presenter, and occasional actress. Bunton is best known for being a member of the successful '90s girl group, the Spice Girls, in which she was known as Baby Spice as she was the youngest member and often wore revealing "babydoll"...
. The term was subsequently used in a derogatory manner, implying Fowler and colleagues such as
Jamie RedknappJamie Frank Redknapp is a former English footballer who was active from 1989 until 2005. He is now a football pundit with Sky Sports....
, Stan Collymore,
David JamesDavid Benjamin James is an English professional goalkeeper of Dominican descent who currently plays for English Premier League club Portsmouth and the England national team....
and
Steve McManamanSteven "Macca" McManaman is a retired English footballer who played as a midfielder and winger. His career included spells at two of European football's most successful clubs, Liverpool F.C. and Real Madrid.He is the most decorated English footballer to have played at any foreign club in terms of...
were underachieving playboys.
Fowler's performance in the
1997–98 football seasonThe 1997-1998 season was the 118th season of competitive football in England.-Premier League:Arsenal overhauled Manchester United's lead during the final weeks of the season to win the Premiership title...
was marred by a knee ligament injury that kept him out of action for half the season and caused him to miss the 1998 World Cup. During this period of injury, fellow Liverpool striker,
Michael OwenMichael James Owen is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United.The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. he progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997...
rose to prominence, making his debut in 1997. Owen established himself in the Liverpool team in Fowler's absence.
In 1999, Fowler was fined £60,000 by his club for bringing the game into disrepute. Whilst celebrating his goal against Liverpool's
MerseysideMerseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. Taking its name from the River Mersey, Merseyside came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974, after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, and the county consists of five metropolitan...
rivals, Everton, Fowler used the white line of the penalty area to simulate
cocaineCocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system and an appetite suppressant...
use. Liverpool manager
Gerard HoullierGérard Houllier, OBE, is a French football manager. His past clubs include Paris Saint-Germain, RC Lens and Liverpool, with whom he won the UEFA Cup in 2001. He then guided Olympique Lyonnais to two French titles, before announcing his resignation on 25 May 2007...
stated that this was a
CameroonThe Republic of Cameroon is a unitary republic of central and western Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the Bight of...
ian grass eating celebration, learnt from teammate
Rigobert SongRigobert Song Bahanag is a Cameroonian football central defender who currently plays for Turkish Süper Lig club Trabzonspor and the Cameroon national team.- Club career :...
. Defending himself, Fowler later said this was a response to Everton fans who had insulted him with false accusations of
drug abuseRecreational drug use is the use of psychoactive drugs for recreational purposes rather than for work, approved medical or spiritual purposes, although the distinction is not always clear ....
. Fowler received a four match suspension from
the FAThe Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of association football in England and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
for this incident. At the same FA disciplinary hearing, Fowler received a further two match suspension due to a separate incident in which he had taunted the
ChelseaChelsea Football Club Chelsea Football Club Chelsea Football Club (are a professional English football club based in West London. The team, founded in 1905, play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football...
defender
Graeme Le SauxGraeme Pierre Le Saux is a retired English footballer who played as a left back, although he sometimes played in midfield or on the left wing.-Chelsea:...
by waving his backside at him as Le Saux's wife and children watched from the stands. Fowler later attempted to justify his actions by suggesting his
homophobicHomophobia is defined as an "irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals", or individuals perceived to be homosexual; it is also defined as "unreasoning fear of or antipathy toward homosexuals and homosexuality", "fear of or contempt for lesbians and gay...
taunts were simply an extension of gamesmanship. The FA imposed a £32,000 fine and a six match ban for the two incidents.
2000-01 season
The
2000–01 seasonThe 2000-01 season was the 121st season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Manchester United secured their 3rd Premiership title in succession and their 7th title in just nine seasons...
was Fowler’s most successful season. He appeared in three finals, scoring 17 goals and lifting three trophies in a unique cup treble. In the absence of Jamie Redknapp, who was sidelined by injury, Fowler was named as Liverpool captain when he started. However he found himself the third choice Liverpool striker, with Houllier favouring a forward partnership of Michael Owen and
Emile HeskeyEmile William Ivanhoe Heskey is an English footballer who plays for Premier League team Aston Villa as a striker. He has also played as a left winger....
.
He did take part in a fourth round
League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Carling Cup, is an English football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
hammering of
Stoke CityStoke City Football Club is a football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, England. Founded in 1863, Stoke is the oldest club in the Premier League, and thought to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts County....
, scoring a hat trick in an 8–0 victory which beat the club's record 7–0 defeat of
Crewe Alexandra F.C.Crewe Alexandra Football Club are an English football team based at Gresty Road in Crewe, Cheshire and nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's historical links with the rail industry....
in 1896. In the League Cup final against
Birmingham CityBirmingham City Football Club is a professional football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, Birmingham F.C. in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City F.C...
, the club's first cup final since 1996, he captained the side and scored in 30th minute. Liverpool went on to win the trophy on penalties, with Fowler scoring Liverpool's fifth in the shootout. Fowler picked up the
Alan HardakerAlan Hardaker was an English football administrator for the Football League, a wartime Royal Navy officer, and previously an amateur footballer...
Man of the MatchIn sport, a man of the match or player of the game or man of the series award is given to the outstanding player, almost always the one who makes the most impact, in a particular match or series. This can be a player from either team, usually the winning team...
award and lifted the trophy.
Fowler’s season picked up from there as he scored several important goals including a goal against runaway champions
Manchester UnitedManchester United Football Club is an English football club, one of the most popular football clubs in the world, based at Old Trafford in Greater Manchester. The club was a founding member of the Premier League in 1992, and has played in the top division of English football since 1938, with the...
and a free kick in the
FA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association. The name "FA Cup" usually refers to the English men's tournament, although a women's tournament is also held...
semi-final against
Wycombe WanderersWycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, currently playing in Football League One. The club's official nickname is "The Chairboys", and they play in Cambridge and Oxford blue quarters...
. Fowler featured as a substitute in the
2001 FA Cup FinalThe 2001 FA Cup Final was a football match held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday, 12 May 2001 and was the first final to be played outside of England. The game had an attendance of 72,000...
coming on as a 77th minute replacement for
Vladimír ŠmicerVladimír Šmicer is a Czech football midfielder and forward, who currently plays for Slavia Prague in the Czech Gambrinus liga.-Early career:...
. Liverpool, who were 1–0 down at that point, eventually won the game 2–1 with two goals from Michael Owen. Fowler raised the trophy along with
Sami HyypiäSami Tuomas Hyypiä is a Finnish footballer who plays in the centre back position. Currently, he plays for German Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen and is the captain of the Finland national football team...
and Jamie Redknapp.
Four days later he was a substitute again in Liverpool’s third final, the
2001 UEFA Cup FinalThe 2001 UEFA Cup Final was the final match of the 2000–01 UEFA Cup, Europe's secondary club football competition. The showpiece event was contested between Liverpool of England and Deportivo Alavés of Spain at the Westfalenstadion in Dortmund, Germany on Wednesday 16 May 2001, to decide the winner...
against
Deportivo AlavésDeportivo Alavés, S.A.D., usually abbreviated to Alavés, is a Spanish football club based in Vitoria-Gasteiz, in the Basque Country. Founded in 1921, it currently plays in Segunda División B, holding home matches at the 19,500-seater Estadio Mendizorrotza.The team's home kit is blue and...
. He came on in the 64th minute for Emile Heskey with the score at 3–3. He scored seven minutes later but Alavés equalised before full time and Liverpool eventually won with a
golden goalThe golden goal is a method used to decide the winner of games in elimination matches which end in a draw after the end of regulation time. Golden goal rules allow the team that scores the first goal during extra time to be declared the winner. The game finishes when a golden goal is scored. The...
, an own goal, in the 116th minute. Fowler and Hyypiä then raised Liverpool’s third trophy of the season together. Liverpool’s next and final game of the season was against
Charlton Athletic F.C.Charlton Athletic Football Club is a professional association football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich...
and Fowler scored twice in a 4–0 victory that assured them
UEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe...
qualification for the next season.
Liverpool departure
Fowler began the
2001–02 seasonThe 2001-02 season was the 122nd season of competitive football in England.-Arsenal cruise to title glory:In what had earlier been one of the most closely-fought Premiership title races for years, Arsenal won the championship by seven points. Their crown was won in the penultimate game of the...
amidst controversy with then Liverpool manager
Gérard HoullierGérard Houllier, OBE, is a French football manager. His past clubs include Paris Saint-Germain, RC Lens and Liverpool, with whom he won the UEFA Cup in 2001. He then guided Olympique Lyonnais to two French titles, before announcing his resignation on 25 May 2007...
when he was dropped from the entire squad for Liverpool's 2–1 victory in the 2001 Charity Shield match against rivals Manchester United, following a
training groundMelwood, in West Derby, Liverpool, is home to Liverpool FC's training ground. It is not attached to The Academy, which is in Kirkby.It is based in the West Derby area of Liverpool and has been their home since the fifties. The ground previously belonged to St Francis Xavier, a local school...
confrontation with assistant manager
Phil ThompsonPhilip 'Phil' Bernard Thompson was a defender in the dominant Liverpool team of the 1970s and 1980s. During this time, he also represented the England national football team on 42 occasions. After retiring as a player, he later served Liverpool as a coach, and during the 2001/02 season, acted as...
. He made an appearance in Liverpool's 3–2
European Super CupThe European Super Cup is an annual football game between the reigning champions of the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League . It takes place at the start of the domestic season, in August, normally on a Friday.The current champions are Spanish club FC Barcelona, and the most...
victory over European Champions Bayern Munich, but starts were intermittent. In October 2001, he scored his first league hat-trick for three years, helping Liverpool beat
Leicester CityLeicester City Football Club , are an English professional football club based at the Walkers Stadium in Leicester. They play in the Football League Championship, having been promoted as champions from Football League One in the 2008–09 season.The club were founded in 1884 as Leicester Fosse,...
4–1, but was dropped for the following league game. Speculation over Fowler's future persisted for most of Houllier's tenure and became an issue that divided Liverpool fans. His last appearance for Liverpool was against
SunderlandSunderland Association Football Club are a professional association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England, that compete in the Premier League. Since their formation in 1879, they have won six First Division titles—in 1892, 1893, 1895, 1902, 1913, and 1936 Sunderland Association...
, in which he was substituted at half-time.
Leeds United
Despite his popularity with Liverpool fans, who referred to Fowler as "God",
Michael OwenMichael James Owen is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester United.The son of former footballer Terry Owen, Owen began his senior career at Liverpool in 1996. he progressed through the Liverpool youth team and scored on his debut in May 1997...
and
Emile HeskeyEmile William Ivanhoe Heskey is an English footballer who plays for Premier League team Aston Villa as a striker. He has also played as a left winger....
had established themselves as Liverpool's regular strike partnership, leaving Fowler on the fringes of the first team. Because of this, he sought regular first team football away from Anfield in an £11 million move to Leeds United. Fowler maintains that Houllier forced him out of Liverpool, and accused Houllier of pressuring the
Liverpool EchoThe Liverpool Echo is a newspaper published by Trinity Mirror on Merseyside in England. It is published Monday to Saturday, and is Liverpool's evening newspaper while its sister paper, the Liverpool Daily Post, is the morning paper...
newspaper to use its influence to turn opinion against him.
The transfer went ahead just one month after his hat-trick at Leicester with a fee of £11 million. He made his Leeds debut in an away game against Fulham, the
same groundCraven Cottage is the name of a sports stadium in the Hammersmith and Fulham area that has been the home ground of the association football team Fulham F.C. since 1896.The capacity of the stadium was increased to 26,678 following cosmetic repairs...
where he had made his debut eight years earlier. Fowler scored 12 goals in the remainder of the season, helping Leeds to a
UEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is a competition for eligible European football clubs; the second most prestigious European football contest after the UEFA Champions League. It is an annual football cup competition for European club teams organised by the Union of European Football Associations...
qualifying place. Fowler was included in the England squad for the
2002 World CupThe 2002 FIFA World Cup, the 17th staging of the World Cup, was held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. The two countries were chosen as hosts by FIFA in May 1996 and was the first tournament in its history to be hosted by two countries. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia...
, but only made one appearance, coming on as substitute in a second round win over
DenmarkThe Denmark national football team is controlled by the Danish Football Association and has represented the country of Denmark in international football competitions since 1908...
.
Fowler suffered an aggravation of a pre-existing hip injury in the
2002–03 pre-seasonThe 2002-03 season was the 123rd season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*Wigan Athletic marked their 25th season of Football League membership by winning the Division Two championship and reaching the league's second tier for the very first time....
, and did not recover until December. Struggling to gain fitness, and seeing team-mates sold off due to a financial crisis, Fowler's form and market value diminished. However, in total he scored 15 goals in 31 appearances for Leeds; achieving an impressive strike rate of just less than one goal every two games. In 2002–03, Leeds finished 15th in the Premier League and a severe financial crisis was developing.
Manchester City
In the
2002–03 seasonThe 2002-03 season was the 123rd season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*Wigan Athletic marked their 25th season of Football League membership by winning the Division Two championship and reaching the league's second tier for the very first time....
, Fowler was transferred to
Manchester CityManchester City Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Manchester. The team is currently a member of the Premier League.The first known competitive fixture was played in November 1880, when the side was known as St...
following a protracted transfer saga. Fowler initially turned down the move, and a dispute between Manchester City manager
Kevin KeeganJoseph Kevin Keegan, OBE , commonly known as Kevin Keegan, is a former international footballer, and former manager of several English clubs and the England national football team....
and chairman
David BernsteinDavid Bernstein is a British business executive who is the former chairman of French Connection and Manchester City F.C.. Bernstein oversaw the controversial f.c.u.k. advertisement campaign at French Connection in 1997, and replaced Francis Lee as Manchester City chairman in the 1998...
over whether the transfer should take place due to medical concerns resulted in Bernstein leaving the club. Following encouragement from Keegan, Fowler finally signed for Manchester City on 16 January 2003 for an initial fee of £3 million and a further £3 million dependent upon appearances. Bizarre transfer conditions meant Leeds United still paid a significant proportion of Fowler's wages. Fowler made his Manchester City debut against
West Bromwich AlbionWest Bromwich Albion Football Club , also known as West Brom, The Baggies, Albion, The Albion, The Throstles or WBA, are an English professional association football club based in West Bromwich, West Midlands...
on 1 February 2003, but made a poor start to his Manchester City career, scoring just two goals in the remainder of the season.
Fowler continued to struggle with fitness problems in the
2003–04 seasonThe 2003-04 season was the 124th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Arsenal completed the entire campaign without losing a single league game....
, completing the full 90 minutes only nine times, however he did score against his old club Liverpool in a 2–2 draw at home. The arrival of close friend, Steve McManaman, from
Real MadridReal Madrid Club de Fútbol is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. It is the most successful team in Spanish football and was voted by FIFA as the most successful club of the 20th century, having won a record thirty-one La Liga titles, seventeen Spanish Cups, a record nine European...
gave Fowler hope, but the pair failed to rekindle their prolific partnership from back in the day, and received criticism from the fans and tabloids for their salaries and alleged excesses. He then showed a marked improvement in the second half of the
2004–2005 seasonThe 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League...
, scoring his 150th Premiership goal in the 3–2 win over
Norwich CityNorwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk.Norwich are currently members of League One, having been relegated from the Championship in 2008–09...
on 28 February 2005. However, his failure to convert a 90th minute penalty kick against
Middlesbrough'sMiddlesbrough Football Club , also known as The Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who will play in the Football League Championship for the 2009–10 season, following relegation from the Premier League. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August...
Mark SchwarzerMark Schwarzer, OAM is an Australian football goalkeeper who plays for English Premier League team Fulham. He also represents Australia in the international matches.-Early career:...
in the final game of the season prevented Manchester City from gaining a place in the
UEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is a competition for eligible European football clubs; the second most prestigious European football contest after the UEFA Champions League. It is an annual football cup competition for European club teams organised by the Union of European Football Associations...
. Despite this, Fowler ended the season as the club's joint top goal scorer and gained the approval of the fans, finishing in the top three in the fans' Player of the Year poll. Fowler later described this as "one of the proudest achievements of my career".
Fowler had injury problems at the start of the
2005–06 seasonThe 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether...
and rarely featured when fit, making just two substitute appearances in the first four months of the season. His first start of the season came against
Scunthorpe UnitedScunthorpe United Football Club are an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire.Nicknamed The Iron, they play in the Football League Championship...
in the FA Cup on 7 January 2006, in which he scored a hat-trick. The following week he scored Manchester City's third goal in their 3–1 win against local rivals Manchester United after coming on as substitute. However, Fowler made only one more appearance for Manchester City before returning to Liverpool on a free transfer.
Return to Liverpool
On 27 January 2006, Fowler rejoined Liverpool from Manchester City on a free transfer, signing a contract until the end of the season. Fowler had remained a Liverpool fan after he left the club; he was in the
IstanbulIstanbul is the largest city in Turkey and fifth largest city proper in the world with a population of 12.6 million. Istanbul is also a megacity, as well as the cultural and financial centre of Turkey. The city covers 39 districts of the Istanbul province...
crowd when Liverpool won the Champions League in 2005.
The fans were overjoyed to learn that Fowler had returned; there were large banners in the game against
Birmingham CityBirmingham City Football Club is a professional football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, Birmingham F.C. in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City F.C...
which read 'God - number eleven, welcome back to heaven', with 'God' being Fowler's nickname while he was previously at Liverpool.
Fowler's return against
Birmingham CityBirmingham City Football Club is a professional football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, Birmingham F.C. in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City F.C...
in February 2006 was labelled by the tabloid press as the stuff of fairytales, and he himself said he felt like "a kid waking up on Christmas morning every day". Fowler's first appearance back at
AnfieldAnfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, in Liverpool, England. Built in 1884, the stadium has been home to Liverpool F.C. since they were formed in 1892 as a result of the original tenants Everton F.C...
was as a substitute against Birmingham, receiving a standing ovation upon his introduction. After his return, he had three goals ruled out for offside, before finally getting off the mark on 15 March 2006 in a home game against Fulham, the same opponents against which he scored his first ever goal for Liverpool 13 years earlier.
Fowler's next Liverpool goal, against
West Bromwich AlbionWest Bromwich Albion Football Club , also known as West Brom, The Baggies, Albion, The Albion, The Throstles or WBA, are an English professional association football club based in West Bromwich, West Midlands...
, meant he overtook
Kenny DalglishKenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a former Scottish international footballer. He is most noted for his successes with Celtic, and both his playing and managing career at English club Liverpool...
in the club's all time top scorers. His resurgence continued as he marked his 31st birthday with a goal against Bolton Wanderers. He made it four goals in five games when he scored the only goal in a 1–0 victory over
Blackburn RoversBlackburn Rovers Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire.The club was established in 1875, becoming a founding member of The Football League in 1888. It is one of only three clubs to have been both a founder member of the Football League...
on 16 April 2006. However, Fowler's fitness remained a concern. In March 2006, manager
Rafael BenítezRafael "Rafa" Benítez Maudes is a Spanish football manager and the current manager of Liverpool Football Club.Born in Madrid, Benítez played football throughout his youth and joined the Real Madrid academy...
commented on Fowler's work and progress by saying, "to buy a Robbie Fowler who is fit and scoring goals would cost a lot, maybe £10m or more". Despite concerns about his fitness, Fowler finished the
2005–06 seasonThe 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether...
scoring on a more consistent basis than Liverpool's other strikers. In May 2006 he was offered a new one year contract with the club, and celebrated by scoring the first goal in Liverpool's last league game of the season in a 3–1 away win at
PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey, sometimes called 'The Blues', with their fans known as 'The Blue Army'. They play in the Premier League...
. It was his final game of the season as he was unable to take part in the club's FA Cup Final success due to being
cup-tiedCup-tied is an adjective, used primarily in football, to describe a player who is ineligible to play in a knockout cup competition after transferring from another club during that competition.-Application:...
.
Fowler featured rarely in his final Liverpool season, making only six league starts. Bizarrely, all three of his League goals were penalties against
Sheffield UnitedSheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire. They currently play in the English Football League Championship. They play at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, and play in red and white striped shirts.Their nickname is The Blades....
. Appearances in other competitions were more common due to Rafael Benítez's
squad rotation policyA squad rotation system is a technique often used in sport, usually association football, which is designed to rest players and give playing time to everyone, rather than to just play the same players in every game...
. On 25 October 2006 Fowler was named as Liverpool's
captainThe team captain of a football team, sometimes known as the skipper, is a team member chosen to be the on-pitch leader of the team: it is often one of the older or more experienced members of the squad, or a player that can heavily influence a game...
for the first time since his return in a
League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Carling Cup, is an English football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
tie against
ReadingReading Football Club is an association football club, based in the English town of Reading, in Berkshire, who play in the The Championship. Formed in 1871 the club is one of the oldest teams in England, but did not join the Football League until 1920, and never played in the top tier of English...
, scoring just before half-time in a 4–3 win.
On 5 December, Fowler scored his first two goals in the
UEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe...
competition proper against Galatasaray (he had previously scored during a qualifying tie some six years prior against
FC HakaHaka is a Finnish football club, based in the industry town of Valkeakoski. It is one of the most successful clubs in Finland, with nine Finnish championships and 12 Finnish Cups.- History :...
), though Liverpool lost 3–2.
On 1 May 2007 he was a substitute in the Champions League semi-final against Chelsea, brought on in the last few minutes of extra-time. He set up an attack for
Dirk KuytDirk Kuijt , commonly known as Dirk Kuyt is a Dutch professional footballer who currently plays for English club Liverpool...
but the shot went straight at the Chelsea goalkeeper. The match went into a penalty shoot-out that Liverpool won. Fowler was due to take the fifth and final spot-kick, but the game had already ended when Kuyt slotted home his winning penalty.
In what transpired to be his last appearance for the club, against
Charlton AthleticCharlton Athletic Football Club is a professional association football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich...
on 13 May, Fowler was given the captain's armband one final time. He was substituted two minutes from the final whistle and given a standing ovation. The crowd still chanted his name as the match finished and applauded him for his years of service. He finished his second run as a Liverpool player with a
UEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe...
runners-up medal, although he was not named in either the starting eleven or the seven substitutes. He became a free agent on 1 July having scored 191 goals in 369 appearances during his two spells at the club.
Cardiff City
On 21 July Fowler signed a two-year contract to play for
Cardiff CityCardiff City Football Club is a football team based in Cardiff, Wales. Cardiff are currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City play their home games at the Cardiff City Stadium. Until May 2009, Cardiff played at Ninian Park....
. He missed the season's opening fixtures due to a lack of fitness, making his debut in a
League CupIn association football a League Cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in the top national league...
tie on 28 August. He scored his first two Cardiff goals on 22 September against
Preston North EndPreston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the second tier of English league football, The Championship...
, scoring with two headers. Fowler scored twice in his next game, a third round Carling Cup tie against
West BromWest Bromwich Albion Football Club , also known as West Brom, The Baggies, Albion, The Albion, The Throstles or WBA, are an English professional association football club based in West Bromwich, West Midlands...
, which Cardiff won 4–2. This led to a fourth round tie against Fowler's former club Liverpool, at
AnfieldAnfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, in Liverpool, England. Built in 1884, the stadium has been home to Liverpool F.C. since they were formed in 1892 as a result of the original tenants Everton F.C...
, but Cardiff were knocked out in a 2–1 defeat.
In November, Fowler travelled to
FrankfurtFrankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2008 population of 670,000. The urban area had an estimated population of 2.26 million in 2001...
,
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
to see Dr.
Hans-Wilhelm Müller-WohlfarthDr. Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt is the club doctor at Bayern Munich and is a world leader in the treatment of sports injuries....
, a specialist sports injuries doctor, to try and resolve a recurring hip problem that had left him lacking fitness in early season fixtures for the Bluebirds. The treatment involved taking around twenty-eight injections into his hip. He returned to full training in late November and made his comeback on 15 December as a late substitute in a 1–0 defeat against
Bristol CityBristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England, . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-western portion of the City. Gary Johnson has been the team's manager since 23 September 2005, succeeding Brian Tinnion...
. However he went on to suffer another injury blow just days later after a mistimed tackle in training from club captain
Darren PurseDarren John Purse is an English professional football player who is currently playing for Football League Championship side Sheffield Wednesday.-Early career:...
left him with damaged ankle ligaments. Due to the new injury blow Cardiff and Fowler made plans for him to go to
ColoradoColorado is a U.S. state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. It may also be considered to be part of the Western and Southwestern regions of the United States. Colorado entered statehood in 1876 and was nicknamed the “Centennial State”...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to undergo keyhole surgery on the hip problem, which had plagued him in recent seasons, in the hope that it would finally resolve the problem.
On 17 January, it was announced that Fowler could miss the rest of the
2007–08During the 2007-08 season Cardiff City played in the Football League Championship. It is the team's fifth year in the Championship since being promoted from League One. The season was the first full year in charge for chairman Peter Ridsdale after taking over from Sam Hammam the previous year.-Team...
season for Cardiff after his hip operation revealed that the injury was worse than previously thought. Surgeons were forced to perform a micro-fracture in order for the hip to heal properly. Despite this, he attempted to make a comeback at the end of the season to play in the
FA Cup finalThe 2008 FA Cup Final was a football match held at Wembley Stadium on 17 May 2008 and was the final match of the 2007–08 FA Cup competition. The match was the 127th FA Cup Final, and the second to be held at the new Wembley Stadium since its redevelopment. The match was contested by Portsmouth and...
against
PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey, sometimes called 'The Blues', with their fans known as 'The Blue Army'. They play in the Premier League...
and was included in the 18-man match squad. However he did not feature in the game in any way and thus did not receive a runners-up medal having not made an appearance in the competition.
Blackburn Rovers
Fowler was offered a new pay-as-you-play contract with Cardiff for the 2008–09 season in May 2008 and was expected to sign the contract. However, he pulled out of the deal, preferring to accept an offer of a trial at
Blackburn RoversBlackburn Rovers Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire.The club was established in 1875, becoming a founding member of The Football League in 1888. It is one of only three clubs to have been both a founder member of the Football League...
from former Liverpool colleague
Paul IncePaul Emerson Carlyle Ince is an English football manager and a former professional player. He is currently manager of Milton Keynes Dons for the second time in his managerial career and has also been manager of Blackburn Rovers and Macclesfield Town...
. The move left Cardiff manager
Dave JonesDavid Robert Jones is an English football manager currently in charge of Cardiff City.-Playing career:...
and chairman
Peter RidsdalePeter Ridsdale is an English businessman well known as acting as chairman of several football clubs, most notably Leeds United...
furious after the club had assisted Fowler's rehabilitation throughout the summer. After training with Blackburn and appearing in a handful of friendlies he was offered a six-month deal by the club to last until January, but Fowler turned down the deal due to it being a shorter offer than the previous one he had rejected at Cardiff. After turning down the offer, Fowler made a shock enquiry about returning to Cardiff on the deal he had originally turned down, prompting anger from supporters and a swift "no thanks" from the club.
Fowler concluded the trial period at Blackburn by agreeing to a three month pay-as-you-play deal. He stated that he was eager to return to the Premier League and that his pre-existing relationship with Ince would not earn him any preferential treatment. He made his first appearance against
EvertonEverton Football Club are an English professional football club from the city of Liverpool. Having competed in the top division for a record 107 seasons, they have played more top-flight league games than any other English team and have won the League Championship 9 times — the fourth highest...
in a 1–0 win in the League Cup on 24 September. With a month left on his contract at Blackburn, Fowler received interest from League Two side
Grimsby TownGrimsby Town Football Club are an English football club playing in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club is located at Blundell Park in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, part of the conurbation of Grimsby Borough in North East Lincolnshire, on the Humber estuary.Despite recently...
. Fowler a noted friend of Grimsby manager
Mike NewellMichael Colin "Mike" Newell is an English football manager and former player. He was a member of the Blackburn Rovers team which won the Premier League in 1995, and totalled £3,585,000 in transfer fees over the duration of his career. In October 2008 he was appointed manager of League Two team...
had held talks at
Blundell ParkBlundell Park is a football ground in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, England and home to Grimsby Town F. C.-Pontoon Stand:The keenest home fans sit in the Pontoon Stand. This is at the north end of the ground behind one of the goals...
over a possible Player/Coach role with the club.
His three month deal at Blackburn expired on 12 December, and after not being offered a new contract was released by the club, he entered talks with new Australian
A-LeagueThe A-League is the premier Australasian domestic football competition. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia, it was founded in 2004 following the collapse of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005-06...
club North Queensland Fury.
North Queensland Fury
Fowler signed with the North Queensland Fury on 4 February 2009 and became their inaugural marquee player; with his family relocating to
TownsvilleTownsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Australia, in the state of Queensland. Adjacent to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef, it is in the dry tropics region of Queensland. Townsville is Australia's largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast, with a 2006 census...
for the 2009-2010 season of the
Australian A-LeagueThe A-League is the premier Australasian domestic football competition. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia, it was founded in 2004 following the collapse of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005-06...
. It was an important signing for the new franchise who struggled to sign a marquee player, while some questioned whether Fowler would be able to cope with the heat and humidity of
North QueenslandNorth Queensland or the Northern Region is the northern part of the state of Queensland in Australia. Queensland is a massive state, larger than most countries, and the tropical northern part of it has been historically remote and undeveloped, resulting in a distinctive regional character and...
.
Fowler made his debut in July 2009 in a 2–1 preseason loss against Wolverhampton Wanderers in
PerthPerth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. With a population of 1,650,000 , Perth ranks fourth amongst the nation's cities, with a growth rate consistently above the national average....
after recovering from groin and hip complaints. Fowler has since been named North Queensland Fury's captain for the 2009/10 season and the first in the club's history. He scored his first A-League goal from a penalty kick in his club's first competitive match against
Sydney FCSydney FC, founded in 2004, is an Australian professional association football club based in Sydney and competes in Australia's premier competition, the A-League....
on Saturday 8 August 2009. However the Fury struggled and opened the season with three straight losses.
In rounds 4, 5 & 6 Fowler scored Solo's Hyundai A-League Goal of the Week.
Outside football
In association with
Steve McManamanSteven "Macca" McManaman is a retired English footballer who played as a midfielder and winger. His career included spells at two of European football's most successful clubs, Liverpool F.C. and Real Madrid.He is the most decorated English footballer to have played at any foreign club in terms of...
, Fowler has invested in several racehorses through a company named
The Macca and Growler Partnership, most notably 2003 Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Celebration Chase
winner
Seebald. In 2005, Fowler was listed as one of the 1,000 wealthiest Britons by the
Sunday Times Rich ListThe Sunday Times Rich List is a list of the 1,000 wealthiest people or families in the United Kingdom, updated annually in April and published as a magazine supplement by British national Sunday newspaper The Sunday Times since 1989...
. Business interests including a large property portfolio have resulted in Fowler's net wealth totaling £28 Million. This gave rise to the affectionate Manchester City chant,
We all live in a Robbie Fowler house, sung to the tune of
Yellow Submarine"Yellow Submarine" is a 1966 song by The Beatles , with lead vocals by Ringo Starr. Although it had previously been released on the Revolver album, it became the title song for the 1968 animated United Artists film, also called Yellow Submarine...
.
On 2 September 2005, Fowler released a book called
Fowler: My Autobiography, about his time as a footballer and the issues surrounding him. Since his transfer to Liverpool he has updated it and included a section about his return to
AnfieldAnfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, in Liverpool, England. Built in 1884, the stadium has been home to Liverpool F.C. since they were formed in 1892 as a result of the original tenants Everton F.C...
. Excerpts published in newspapers included criticism of the England management.
Fowler married wife Kerrie on 9 June 2001 in the town of
DunsDuns was created a Burgh of Barony in 1490 by James IV, and is a former county town of Berwickshire in the Scottish Borders.-Today:Duns has the largest shopping facilities in a radius of fifteen miles and houses the Berwickshire Sheriff Court as well as principal offices of the Scottish Borders...
in
ScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Together they have three daughters named Madison, Jaya, and Mackenzie, and one son, Jacob.
Career statistics
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1993–94This article describes the FA Premier League 1993-94 season.-New league sponsors:From the start of the 1993-94 season, the FA Premier League was sponsored by Carling Breweries.-Promoted teams:...
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LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is a professional football club based in Liverpool, England. The club plays in the Premier League, and has won more trophies than any other English club...
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1994–95This article describes the FA Premier League 1994-95 season.-Promoted teams:Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest were promoted from the Football League First Division as winners and runners-up respectively...
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1995–96This article describes the FA Premier League 1995-96 season.-Promoted teams:Due to the decision to reduce the number of clubs in the Premier League from 22 to 20, only two clubs were promoted this season: Middlesbrough as Football League First Division champions, and Bolton Wanderers who won the...
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1996–97The 1996-97 FA Premier League season was the fifth season of the competition, since its formation in 1992. The majority of the season was contested by the reigning champions, Manchester United, along with Newcastle United, Arsenal and Liverpool...
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1997–98The FA Premier League 1997-98 season saw Arsenal lift their first league title since 1991, and also become only the second team to win the 'double' of the FA Cup and league title twice...
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1998–99The 1998-99 FA Premier League season will always be remembered as the season in which Manchester United won a unique treble of the Premiership title, FA Cup and European Cup...
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2000–01The FA Premier League 2000-01 season was the third season running which ended with Manchester United as champions and Arsenal as runners-up...
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2001–02The 2001–02 FA Premier League season was the tenth season of the competition. It began with a new sponsor, Barclaycard, and was titled the FA Barclaycard Premiership, replacing the previous sponsor, Carling...
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2001–02The 2001–02 FA Premier League season was the tenth season of the competition. It began with a new sponsor, Barclaycard, and was titled the FA Barclaycard Premiership, replacing the previous sponsor, Carling...
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Leeds UnitedLeeds United Association Football Club , commonly referred to as simply Leeds United, or informally Leeds, are an English professional football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire...
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2002–03The 2002–03 FA Premier League was the eleventh season of the Premier League, the top division in English football. The first matches were played on 17 August 2002 and the last were played on 11 May 2003...
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2002–03The 2002–03 FA Premier League was the eleventh season of the Premier League, the top division in English football. The first matches were played on 17 August 2002 and the last were played on 11 May 2003...
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Manchester CityManchester City Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Manchester. The team is currently a member of the Premier League.The first known competitive fixture was played in November 1880, when the side was known as St...
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2003–04The 2003–04 FA Premier League season was mainly contended between Arsenal, Chelsea and to some extent, Manchester United. In the end, Arsenal went through the season without a single defeat and were crowned champions once more, at the expense of Chelsea, who had spent heavily throughout the...
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2004–05The 2004-05 season of the FA Premier League began on 14 August 2004 and ended on 15 May 2005. Arsenal were the defending champions after going unbeaten the previous season. Manchester United had won the FA Cup after beating surprise team Millwall who gained a UEFA Cup place...
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2005–06The 2005-06 season of the FA Premier League began on 13 August 2005, and concluded on 7 May 2006. The season saw Chelsea F.C retain their title after defeating Manchester United 3–0 at Stamford Bridge towards the end of April...
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2005–06The 2005-06 season of the FA Premier League began on 13 August 2005, and concluded on 7 May 2006. The season saw Chelsea F.C retain their title after defeating Manchester United 3–0 at Stamford Bridge towards the end of April...
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LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is a professional football club based in Liverpool, England. The club plays in the Premier League, and has won more trophies than any other English club...
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2006–07The 2006–07 FA Premier League was the fifteenth season of the FA Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The season started on 19 August 2006 and concluded on 13 May 2007....
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2007–08The Football League is contested through three divisions in England and Wales. The divisions are the League Championship, League One and League Two. The winner and the runner up of the League Championship will be automatically promoted to the Premier League and they will be joined by the winner of...
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Cardiff CityCardiff City Football Club is a football team based in Cardiff, Wales. Cardiff are currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City play their home games at the Cardiff City Stadium. Until May 2009, Cardiff played at Ninian Park....
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ChampionshipThe Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League.The Football League Championship was introduced for the 2004–05 season,...
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Blackburn RoversBlackburn Rovers Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire.The club was established in 1875, becoming a founding member of The Football League in 1888. It is one of only three clubs to have been both a founder member of the Football League...
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A-LeagueThe A-League is the premier Australasian domestic football competition. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia, it was founded in 2004 following the collapse of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005-06...
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International goals
Updated to games played 28 January 2008.
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|
| 1. |
29 March 1997 |
London, England[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
|
| 2–0 |
Win |
Friendly |
| 2. |
15 November 1997 |
London, England[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
|
| 2–0 |
Win |
Friendly |
| 3. |
31 May 2000 |
London, England[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
|
| 2–0 |
Win |
Friendly |
| 4. |
25 May 2001 |
Derby, England Derby is a city in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
|
| 4–0 |
Win |
Friendly |
| 5. |
5 September 2001 |
Newcastle, EnglandNewcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England...
|
| 2–0 |
Win |
FIFA World Cup 2002 Qualification Listed below are the dates and results for the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the European zone . For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification....
|
| 6. |
27 March 2002 |
Leeds, EnglandLeeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. The historic core at the heart of Leeds in 2001 had an estimated subdivision population of 443,247, whilst the entire city, that includes the urban and suburban areas incorporated into the city in 1974, had an estimated...
|
| 1–2 |
Lose |
Friendly |
| 7. |
26 May 2002 |
Kobe, Japanis the sixth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture and a prominent port city in Japan with a population of about 1.5 million. The city is located in the Kansai region of Japan and is part of the metropolitan area...
|
| 2–2 |
Draw |
Friendly |
Liverpool
- Winner
- League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Carling Cup, is an English football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
: 1995The 1995 Coca-Cola Cup Final was played between Liverpool and Bolton Wanderers at Wembley Stadium on 2 April 1995. Liverpool won the match 2–1. Two Steve McManaman goals in the 37th and 68th minutes put Liverpool ahead, but Alan Thompson scored a brilliant goal for Bolton to give them some...
, 2001The 2001 Worthington Cup Final was a football match played between Liverpool and Birmingham City at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on Sunday 25 February 2001...
- FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association. The name "FA Cup" usually refers to the English men's tournament, although a women's tournament is also held...
: 2001
- UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is a competition for eligible European football clubs; the second most prestigious European football contest after the UEFA Champions League. It is an annual football cup competition for European club teams organised by the Union of European Football Associations...
: 2001The 2001 UEFA Cup Final was the final match of the 2000–01 UEFA Cup, Europe's secondary club football competition. The showpiece event was contested between Liverpool of England and Deportivo Alavés of Spain at the Westfalenstadion in Dortmund, Germany on Wednesday 16 May 2001, to decide the winner...
- UEFA Super Cup: 2001
The 2001 UEFA Super Cup was a football match played on 24 August 2001, between FC Bayern Munich of Germany and Liverpool F.C. of England. Bayern gained their place in the final by winning the 2001 UEFA Champions League, whilst Liverpool, won the 2001 UEFA Cup to gain their place in the final...
- Runner Up
- FA Cup 1996
The 1996 FA Cup Final was the 51st to be held at Wembley Stadium after the Second World War and was held between two of the biggest rivals in English football, Manchester United and Liverpool....
Personal
- PFA Young Player of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year is an annual award given to the player under the age of 23 who is adjudged to have been the best of the season in English football....
: 1995, 1996
- UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations is the administrative and controlling body for European football. It is almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA ....
Fair Play AwardThe UEFA Fair Play ranking is used by UEFA since 1995 to grant three berths for the first qualifying round of the UEFA Cup.-Old club qualification system:...
: 1997
- Premier League Player of the Month
The Player of the Month is an association football award that recognises the best Premier League player each month of the season. The recipient is chosen by a panel assembled by the League's sponsor, and announced alongside the Manager of the Month on the first or second Friday of the following month...
: December 1995, January 1996
- PFA Team of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year award is given to a set of forty-four footballers in the top four flights of English football, the Premier League; the Championship; League One and League Two, whom are seen to be deserving of being named in a "Team of the Year".The...
: 1996
External links