James Cowan (footballer)
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | James Cowan | ||
Date of birth | 17 October 1868 | ||
Place of birth | Jamestown, Dunbartonshire, Scotland | ||
Date of death | 12 December 1918 | (aged 50)||
Place of death | London, England | ||
Position(s) |
Half back | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
Renton | |||
–1889 |
Vale of Leven | ||
1889–1890 | Warwickshire County | ||
1890–1902 | Aston Villa | 315 | (22) |
International career | |||
1896–1898 | Scotland | 3 | (0) |
Managerial career | |||
1906–1913 | Queens Park Rangers | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
James Cowan (17 October 1868 – 12 December 1918) was a Scottish football player and manager, winning five Football League First Division titles and two FA Cup winners medals at Aston Villa and later taking charge of Queens Park Rangers.
Playing career
Club
Born in
When Cowan played for the club in the 1890s and early 1900s, they were the giants of
International
Cowan was selected for Scotland on three occasions, in 1896 being one of a group of five men who were the first to be selected while playing for an English club, in the process becoming Aston Villa's first international for that nation.[3] Controversy dogged him after a disappointing performance in a defeat England in 1898, in which he was the Scottish captain; it emerged that he had not been fit to play through illness (possibly alcohol-related),[4][5] and both the player and the selection committee were heavily criticised in the press for failing to replace him before the match began.[6] He was not selected for international duties again.
Managerial career
After retiring from playing in 1902, he coached the young players at Villa for a few years before deciding to accept the role of manager of
Four years later he led QPR to another Southern League title. Off-the-field problems however prevented him from leading the club into
Other sports
He was renowned for his speed. On one occasion he missed a Villa match due to his attending (and winning) the illustrious 100 yard New Year Sprint event held at Powderhall. The club fined him but he still made a healthy profit due to the prize money.
Managerial statistics
Nat. | Team | From | To | Record | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
Queens Park Rangers | 1 August 1906 | 31 March 1913 | 296 | 128 | 85 | 83 | 43.24 | |
Total | 296 | 128 | 85 | 83 | 43.24 |
See also
References
- ^ Jimmy Cowan, AVFC History
- ^ Cowan, James, Aston Villa Player Database
- ^ Anglo Scottish Recognition Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Doigs Den
- ^ England Did It. The Scottish Referee, 4 April 1898, scan via London Hearts Supporters Club
- ISBN 9798513846642.
- ^ Cowan's Indisposition. The Scottish Referee, 8 April 1898, scan via London Hearts Supporters Club
- Macey, Gordon (1993). Queens Park Rangers - A Complete Record. The Breedon Books Publishing Company Limited. ISBN 1-873626-40-1.
- Marks, John (2003). Heroes In Hoops - QPR Who's Who 1899-2003. Yore Publications. ISBN 1-874427-84-4.
- James Cowan at the Scottish Football Association