Thomas Cowan (born 28 August 1969) is a Scottish former footballer who played as a defender.
During his career he played for Clyde, Rangers, Sheffield United, Stoke City, Huddersfield Town, Burnley, Cambridge United, Peterborough United, York City, Dundee, Carlisle United, Barrow, Workington, Hucknall Town, Stalybridge Celtic, Hyde United and Retford United.
Career Cowan was born in Bellshill and began his career with Holytown ColtsCeltic being stunned in cup by Holytown remembered 40 years on, Daily Record, 10 September 2021 and Netherdale Boys Club before joining Clyde in 1988; he spent most of the 1988–89 season playing for Clyde while also working in a Lanarkshire steelworks and was then signed by Rangers before the end of that campaign, at the end of which the Glasgow club won the Scottish Premier Division.
Cowan was at Ibrox for another two years, both of which also ended in championship success, but was competing for a place with the experienced Stuart Munro and fellow youngster Chris Vinnicombe and had only a peripheral role. He did feature in the European Cup against Bayern Munich in Germany (the team having lost at home in the first leg), and in what proved to be his final appearance, took part in the title decider in 1991 when a depleted Rangers squad defeated Aberdeen 2–0; however he suffered a broken leg during the match (attempting to play on with the injury for several minutes before being substituted) and the club then signed the left back of the opposition on that day, David Robertson, to fill the position.
He next moved to English club Sheffield United, and played in 24 matches in 1991–92 as the Blades finished 9th in the Football League First Division. They finished in 14th position in 1992–93 (the inaugural season of the new Premier League) with Cowan playing in 25 matches. He lost his place in the side under Dave Bassett and joined Stoke City on loan in 1993–94. He played 18 matches for Stoke, 14 of which came in the league. Cowan joined Huddersfield Town, initially on loan in March 1994, and then permanent for a fee of £150,000 in July 1994.
Cowan enjoyed the most successful period of his career with the Terriers as he made 155 appearances for the club in six seasons (including one in which he did not play at all after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee),Tom Cowan: From Stoke to Town, Huddersfield Town AFC, 19 November 2020 helping them gain promotion in 1994–95 and reach the 1994 Football League Trophy final where they lost on penalties to Swansea City. He then had short spells at Burnley, Cambridge United, Peterborough United (scoring once against Wrexham) and York City (scoring once against Bury).
He returned to Scotland in August 2003, joining Dundee. He made his debut for Dundee on 31 August against Kilmarnock and scored on his second appearance in a 2–0 victory over Aberdeen on 20 September. However, after making six appearances for the club his contract was terminated after Dundee entered administration and he joined Carlisle United on 27 November 2003. His first season ended with the Cumbrian club being relegated to the Conference National, though he did help them gain an instant return to the Football League as they beat Stevenage Borough in the play-off final. He decided not to sign a new deal at Brunton Park and was released at the end of the season.
After leaving Carlisle, Cowan joined Barrow in the Conference North. From there he played for Workington, Hucknall Town and Stalybridge Celtic.
After football After retiring from playing, Cowan became a firefighter and joined the South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service,Fireman Tom Cowan on life after Sheffield United with Dave Bassett, being spat on at Rangers and feeling the ire of Brian Clough, Danny Hall, Sheffield Star, 17 November 2020 speaking of the profession's collective ethos and camaraderie as being similar to his experience as a footballer. Tom is based at Parkway Fire Station and is one of the only ex professional footballers to hold a Turntable Ladder license.
Career statistics + Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsClyde1988–89Scottish First Division162000000162Rangers1988–89Scottish Premier Division40000000401989–90Scottish Premier Division30000010401990–91Scottish Premier Division5010001070Total120100020150Sheffield United1991–92First Division2001020102401992–93Premier League2101030002501993–94Premier League4000000040Total450205010530Stoke City (loan)1993–94First Division140001030180Huddersfield Town1993–94Second Division1000000101101994–95Second Division3722040504821995–96First Division4324140005131996–97First Division4241051004851997–98First Division00000000001998–99First Division5020000070Total1278911316015510Burnley1998–99Second Division1210000001211999–2000Second Division80002010110Total201002010231Cambridge United1999–2000Second Division40000000402000–01Second Division4121010004322001–02Second Division5100000051Total503101000523Peterborough United (loan)2001–02Second Division5100000051York City2002–03Third Division331001000341Dundee2003–04Scottish Premier League5100001061Carlisle United2003–04Third Division2010000002012004–05Conference National292300050372Total293300050573Career Total3562016123119041422
A. The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the Anglo-Italian Cup, Conference National play-offs, Football League Trophy, Football League play-offs, Full Members Cup and UEFA Cup.
Honours Rangers Scottish Football League Premier Division: 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91
Huddersfield Town Football League Second Division play-offs: 1995 Football League Trophy runner-up: 1993–94
Carlisle United Conference National play-offs: 2005
Individual PFA Team of the Year: 1994–95 Second Division Huddersfield Town Player of the Year: 1995–96, 1996–97
References
External links
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