Walter Rowley

Walter James Rowley (14 April 1891 – 22 March 1976) was an English footballer around World War I and a manager during and after World War II. He spent some 47 years playing and coaching in the Football League.

Walter Rowley

Personal information
Full name	Walter James Rowley[1]
Date of birth	(1891-04-14)14 April 1891[1]
Place of birth	Little Hulton, England[1]
Date of death	22 March 1976(1976-03-22) (aged 84)[1]
Place of death	Shrewsbury, England[1]
Height	5 ft 9+3⁄4 in (1.77 m)[2]
Position(s)	Right-half
Youth career
	Farnworth Wednesday
	Walkden Wednesday
	Little Hulton Wednesday
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1910–1912	Oldham Athletic	0	(0)
1912–1925	Bolton Wanderers	175	(7)
Total		175	(7)
Managerial career
1944–1950	Bolton Wanderers
1952–1954	Middlesbrough
1955–1957	Shrewsbury Town
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He played for Oldham Athletic and Bolton Wanderers, spending 13 years with the latter club. After spending many years as part of Bolton's backroom staff, he was appointed manager in August 1944. He spent six years in charge before retiring due to ill health. He coached Middlesbrough from June 1952 to February 1954 before again stepping aside due to illness. His final management role was at Shrewsbury Town from July 1955 until June 1957.

Playing career

Rowley played village football before joining Oldham Athletic of the Football League First Division in 1910. The "Latics" finished seventh in 1910–11 and 18th in 1911–12 (just one place and one point above the relegation zone). He left Boundary Park and moved on to Bolton Wanderers in 1912, and made his debut against West Bromwich Albion in February 1913.^[3] The "Trotters" finished eighth in 1912–13, sixth in 1913–14, and 17th in 1914–15. During the war he played two games for Port Vale in 1919 in the war league, before returning to Burnden Park.^[1] Bolton finished sixth in 1919–20, third in 1920–21, sixth again in 1921–22, and 13th in 1922–23. Wanderers also won the FA Cup. However, Rowley missed the 1923 FA Cup final against West Ham United because he was serving a six-week suspension for being sent off against Huddersfield Town.^[3] They went on to finish in fourth place in 1923–24 and third place in 1924–25. He retired through injury in May 1925 and joined the club's coaching staff.^[3] He had made 191 league and FA Cup appearances for the club, scoring seven goals.^[4]

Managerial career

Bolton Wanderers

Rowley became a coach with Bolton before he took over as manager at the latter end of World War II, before the Football League proper started, following Charles Foweraker's retirement in August 1944.^[3] During his reign the club won the Football League North War Cup, and made First Division league finishes of 18th in 1946–47, 17th in 1947–48, 14th in 1948–49, and 16th in 1949–50. Rowley had to resign due to ill health in October 1950.^[3] He was made a life member of the club for his 37 years of service as a player, coach and manager. His successor, Bill Ridding, led Bolton to eighth spot in 1950–51.

Middlesbrough

He fully recovered and took over at Middlesbrough in 1952. He led the Ayresome Park club to 13th in the First Division in 1952–53. Ill health again forced him to resign in March 1954, and his replacement, Bob Dennison, failed to steer the club away from the relegation zone by the end of the 1953–54 campaign.

Shrewsbury Town

Fully fit again, Rowley returned to management at Shrewsbury Town in 1955. Under his stewardship, the "Shrews" posted 13th and ninth-place finishes in the Third Division South in 1955–56 and 1956–57. He left the game after departing the Gay Meadow.

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition^[5]

Club	Season	First Division		FA Cup		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Bolton Wanderers	1912–13	9	0	0	0	9	0
	1913–14	24	1	3	0	27	1
	1914–15	29	1	7	0	36	1
	1919–20	26	2	0	0	26	2
	1920–21	16	1	0	0	16	1
	1921–22	13	1	1	0	14	1
	1922–23	33	1	5	0	38	1
	1923–24	14	0	0	0	14	0
	1924–25	11	0	0	0	11	0
	Total	175	7	16	0	191	7

Managerial statistics

Source:^[5][6]

Team	From	To	Record
			G	W	D	L	Win %
Bolton Wanderers	1 August 1944	1 October 1950	197	64	44	89	032.49
Middlesbrough	1 June 1952	1 February 1954	73	22	16	35	030.14
Shrewsbury Town	1 July 1955	1 June 1957	97	33	32	32	034.02
Total			367	119	92	156	032.43

References

1. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 255. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
2. Harricus (22 August 1921). "First Division prospects. Bolton Wanderers". Athletic News. Manchester. p. 5.
3. "Walter Rowley". Spartacus Educational. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
4. "Only shown are players with surnames beginning with the letter R". bwfcstats.com. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
5. Walter Rowley at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
6. Walter Rowley management career statistics at Soccerbase