David Lowe (footballer)

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David Lowe
Personal information
Full name David Anthony Lowe[1]
Date of birth (1965-08-30) 30 August 1965 (age 58)[1]
Place of birth Liverpool, England[1]
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2]
Position(s) Right winger
Youth career
1982–1983 Wigan Athletic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1983–1987 Wigan Athletic 188 (40)
1987–1992 Ipswich Town 134 (37)
1992 → Port Vale (loan) 9 (2)
1992–1996 Leicester City 94 (22)
1994 → Port Vale (loan) 19 (5)
1996–1999 Wigan Athletic 109 (26)
1999–2000 Wrexham 10 (1)
2000 → Rushden & Diamonds (loan) 12 (4)
Total 575 (137)
International career
1988 England U21 2 (0)
Managerial career
2009 Derby County (caretaker)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

David Anthony Lowe (born 30 August 1965) is an English football coach and former footballer who is a coach at Blackburn Rovers

As a player he was a right winger, he made 563 league appearances scoring 133 goals, in a career spanning 17 years. He played in the top five levels of English football. He notably played in the Premier League with Leicester City as well as in the Football League for Wigan Athletic, Ipswich Town, Port Vale, Wrexham and Rushden & Diamonds. He was capped twice by the England under-21s.

Following retirement he then turned his hand to coaching, he initially worked for the Professional Footballers' Association before re-joining Wigan as a coach under Paul Jewell. He later spent time with Derby County and took charge of the first-team for one game in January 2009. He has since worked for both Manchester United and Tranmere Rovers.

Playing career[edit]

Wigan Athletic[edit]

Having had brief spells with Liverpool and Everton, Lowe began his career as an apprentice at Wigan Athletic on a recommendation by a teacher from his school league days to then Wigan manager Harry McNally.[3] Lowe made his first-team début in October 1982 against Reading.[3] At the end of the 1982–83 season, Wigan finished one point above the Third Division relegation zone. They then finished 15th in 1983–84 and 16th in 1984–85. At the end of the 1984–85 season, Lowe scored past Brentford in the Football League Trophy final at Wembley with a spectacular overhead kick to help his team win the match 3–1.[4] Bryan Hamilton then took charge at Springfield Park for the 1985–86 season, and led the club to within one place and one point of promotion. Ray Mathias then took the club to the newly created play-offs in 1986–87, where they were defeated by Swindon Town.

Ipswich Town[edit]

In June 1987, Lowe was transferred to Ipswich Town for £80,000.[3] He won two caps for the England under-21 team whilst at Ipswich.[3] He hit 18 goals in 1987–88 to become the club's top scorer. Manager John Duncan took the "Blues" to within three points of the Second Division play-offs in 1988–89. He left the club after Ipswich finished five points outside the play-offs in 1989–90, with Lowe again finishing as the club's top scorer with 13 goals. New boss John Lyall then took over at Portman Road, and following a 14th-place finish in 1990–91, took the club to the Second Division title in 1991–92, four points ahead of Middlesbrough. Lowe missed the end-of-season run-in as he was loaned out to Port Vale in March 1992.[1] He stayed at Vale Park for the rest of the season, and scored twice in nine games as the "Valiants" battled unsuccessfully to avoid exiting the Second Division at the opposite end to Ipswich.[1]

Leicester City[edit]

In July 1992, Lowe signed for Leicester City, with manager Brian Little authorising a fee of £200,000.[5] He had scored 42 goals in 169 appearances for the "Tractor boys" in all competitions. In a pre-season friendly against Borussia Mönchengladbach, one of his first games for the "Foxes", he broke his cheekbone.[3] However, he would become a regular first-team player at Filbert Street in 1992–93, bagging 12 goals to help the club book a place in the First Division play-offs. However, he did not find the net in 1993–94, and did not feature in the play-off final victory over Derby County. In February 1994, Port Vale manager John Rudge managed to secure the out-of-favour Lowe on loan until the end of the season.[1] This time he hit five goals in 19 appearances as he helped the "Valiants" to win promotion out of the Second Division in second place; this tally included a vital goal in a 2–1 win over eventual third-place club Plymouth Argyle.[1] Back at Leicester, he found himself back in first-team contention, though new boss Mark McGhee failed to keep the club in the Premier League following a poor start under Little. On 17 September 1994, he scored an overhead goal in a 3–1 win over Tottenham Hotspur that was later voted as the club's goal of the season.[3] On 25 February 1995, Lowe scored against rivals Coventry City, in a 4–2 defeat at Highfield Road. The following month he also scored against Nottingham Forest, another of the club's major rivals, in another 4–2 defeat. He scored eight goals in 29 Premier League games in the 1994–95 season, just one behind top-scorer Iwan Roberts.[3] He hit three goals in the 1995–96 campaign, but left the club before new boss Martin O'Neill could lead the club back to the top-flight via the play-offs.

Return to Wigan Athletic[edit]

In March 1996, he re-signed with Wigan Athletic, back in the Third Division (the old Fourth Division), who paid out a fee of £125,000.[5] Under manager John Deehan, the "Latics" won the Third Division title in 1996–97, with Lowe scoring six goals in 40 games.[4] His goal in the final game of the season secured the title, as they edged ahead of Fulham on goal difference. He then hit 16 league goals in 1997–98, to become both the club's top scorer and one of the highest scorers in the division. He was also voted the club's Player of the Season.[6] In a surprise move, former boss Ray Mathias then returned to the club following a nine-year absence. Lowe hit three goals in 23 games in an injury-plagued 1998–99 campaign, as Wigan reached the play-offs, where they were defeated by Manchester City.[3]

During his two spells at Wigan, Lowe scored 83 times in all competitions, making him the highest goal scorer in the club's Football League history.[7] He also held the club record for most League goals (66) until this was surpassed by Andy Liddell in 2003.[8]

Wrexham[edit]

Released by Wigan in June 1999, Lowe made the move to Second Division rivals Wrexham on a two-year deal, where he was offered a player-coach role.[3] He started just five games in 1999–2000, before joining Rushden & Diamonds on loan in January.[9] He scored six goals in sixteen games.[9] He helped Diamonds to a second-place finish in the Football Conference, nine points behind champions Kidderminster Harriers.

Style of play[edit]

Lowe was an intelligent, ball-playing attacker.[10]

Coaching career[edit]

After retiring as a player, Lowe worked for the Professional Footballers' Association as a coach educator in the North-West until June 2002, when he joined Wigan Athletic under former teammate Paul Jewell.[7] A fully qualified coach, Lowe fulfilled various roles at Wigan before following Jewell to Derby County and becoming head of the youth academy at the club. Following the departure of Jewell and prior to the arrival of new manager Nigel Clough, Lowe was placed in temporary charge of solitary game in January 2009, where his Derby team beat Manchester United 1–0 in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final at Pride Park Stadium.[11] He left the club in April 2009. He then did part-time work for Manchester United, in charge of the eldest participants in Manchester United Soccer Schools, before joining the back-room staff at Tranmere Rovers.[12] In June 2011, Lowe joined Blackburn Rovers as head of youth coaching.[13] In February 2017, Lowe was made assistant head coach to new club manager Tony Mowbray.[14] He signed a new two-year deal with the club four months later.[15]

Career statistics[edit]

Source:[16][17][9]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Wigan Athletic 1982–83 Third Division 28 6 0 0 1 0 29 6
1983–84 Third Division 40 8 4 0 2 0 46 8
1984–85 Third Division 29 5 2 0 8 4 39 9
1985–86 Third Division 46 5 5 2 8 3 59 10
1986–87 Third Division 45 16 5 2 7 2 57 20
Total 188 40 16 4 26 9 230 53
Ipswich Town 1987–88 Second Division 41 17 1 0 6 2 48 19
1988–89 Second Division 32 6 0 0 7 3 39 9
1989–90 Second Division 34 13 1 0 3 0 38 13
1990–91 Second Division 13 0 1 0 2 0 16 0
1991–92 Second Division 14 1 0 0 4 3 18 4
Total 134 37 3 0 22 8 159 45
Port Vale (loan) 1991–92 Second Division 9 2 0 0 0 0 9 2
Leicester City 1992–93 First Division 32 11 2 0 3 1 37 12
1993–94 First Division 5 0 0 0 2 0 7 0
1994–95 Premier League 29 8 1 0 1 0 31 8
1995–96 First Division 28 3 1 0 4 0 33 3
Total 94 22 4 0 10 1 108 23
Port Vale (loan) 1993–94 Second Division 19 5 0 0 0 0 19 5
Wigan Athletic 1995–96 Third Division 7 3 0 0 0 0 7 3
1996–97 Third Division 42 6 1 0 3 0 46 6
1997–98 Second Division 43 16 3 1 5 1 51 18
1998–99 Second Division 16 1 2 2 5 0 23 3
Total 108 26 6 3 13 1 127 30
Wrexham 1999–2000 Second Division 10 1 0 0 1 0 11 1
Rushden & Diamonds (loan) 1999–2000 Conference 12 4 0 0 4 2 16 6
Career total 575 137 29 7 76 21 690 165

Honours[edit]

Individual

Wigan Athletic

Ipswich Town

Port Vale

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 177. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. ^ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1980). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1980–81. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 392. ISBN 0362020175.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Hutchinson, John (22 May 2019). "Former Player Remembers: David Lowe". www.lcfc.com. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d "David Lowe | "I'm proud to have played my part in the Club's history."". Wigan Athletic FC. 11 December 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  5. ^ a b "David Lowe | Leicester City career stats – FoxesTalk". FoxesTalk. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  6. ^ "Who Gets Your Vote?". wiganlatics.co.uk. 20 April 2005. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  7. ^ a b "Lowe returns to Wigan". BBC Sport. 24 June 2002. Retrieved 25 May 2009.
  8. ^ "Liddell double joy as Wigan charge back to the top". The Guardian. 2 November 2003. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  9. ^ a b c "David Lowe". rdfc1992. 8 May 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  10. ^ "Cult Hero 11: David Lowe". onevalefan.co.uk. 30 January 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  11. ^ "Ferguson confident despite defeat". BBC Sport. 7 January 2009. Retrieved 25 May 2009.
  12. ^ Hilton, Nick (21 August 2010). "David Lowe is delighted to join Tranmere Rovers' back-room staff". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  13. ^ "Blackburn Rovers appoint David Lowe to academy staff". BBC Sport. 23 June 2011. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  14. ^ "Rovers welcome new Head Coach". Blackburn Rovers F.C. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
  15. ^ "Blackburn Rovers FC". Blackburn Rovers FC. 26 June 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  16. ^ David Lowe at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  17. ^ David Lowe at Soccerbase Edit this at Wikidata
  18. ^ "Players of the Year". Wigan Athletic F.C. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
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