Arthur Rowley (born 1870; date of death unknown) was an English footballer who played in the Football League for Burslem Port Vale and Stoke, and in the Southern League with Bristol Rovers.[1] He was the first player to score a goal straight from a direct free kick in the Football League.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Arthur Rowley[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 1870[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Leek, Staffordshire, England[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Right-half | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Leek | |||
| Distillery | |||
| North Staffordshire Regiment | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1896–1899 | Stoke | 57 | (0) |
| 1900–1902 | Bristol Rovers | ||
| 1902–1903 | Burslem Port Vale | 57 | (4) |
| Total | 114+ | (4+) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Career
editRowley played for Leek, Distillery, and the North Staffordshire Regiment before joining Stoke in 1896.[1] He became a useful addition to the Stoke squad, taking over the right half position from the ageing Davy Brodie.[1] He played four First Division games in the 1896–97 season, before becoming a first-team regular in the 1897–98 and 1898–99 campaigns. He spent three seasons at the Victoria Ground, making 62 appearances.[1]
He played for Bristol Rovers in the Southern League before joining Burslem Port Vale in September 1902.[2] He played 27 league games in the 1902–03 season, as Vale posted a ninth-place finish in the Second Division.[2] He became the first player to score a goal straight from a direct free kick in the Football League on 7 September 1903, in a 3–2 defeat to Bolton Wanderers at the Athletic Ground.[2] He claimed two goals in 38 games in the 1903–04 campaign, but left the club before the start of the 1904–05 season.[2]
Career statistics
editSource:[3]
| Club | Season | Division | League | FA Cup | Test Match | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Stoke | 1896–97 | First Division | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 27 | 0 | |
| 1897–98 | First Division | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 0 | |
| 1898–99 | First Division | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 | 0 | ||
| Total | 57 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 62 | 0 | ||
| Burslem Port Vale | 1902–03 | Second Division | 27 | 2 | 2 | 0 | – | 29 | 2 | |
| 1903–04 | Second Division | 30 | 2 | 7 | 0 | – | 37 | 2 | ||
| Total | 57 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 66 | 4 | ||
| Career total | 114 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 128 | 4 | ||
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
- ^ a b c d Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 255. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0. ASIN 0952915200.
- ^ Arthur Rowley at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)