Players - Tony Rowley

Tony Rowley
Birthdate: 19 September 1929
Birthplace: Porthcawl, Wales
Date of death: 28 April 2006
Other clubs: Wellington Town, Birmingham City (1949-51), Stourbridge (1951-53), Tranmere Rovers (1958-61), Bangor City (1961-62), Northwich Victoria (1962-63), Mossley (1963-64)
Signed from: Stourbridge
Signed for LFC: 17.10.1953
International debut: 22.04.1959 vs. Northern Ireland
International caps: 1/0
Liverpool debut: 19.04.1954
Last appearance: 01.02.1958
Debut goal: 19.04.1954
Last goal: 08.01.1958
Contract expiry: 13.03.1958
Win ratio: 52.38% W:33 D:12 L:18
Games/goals ratio: 1.66
League games / goals: 60 / 37
Total games / goals: 63 / 38

Player Profile

Antonio Camilio Rowley, who was of Italian descent but born in Wales, scored a hat-trick on the opening day of the 1954/55 season after featuring mostly for the reserves in his debut campaign when Liverpool got relegated to the Second Division. Rowley didn't score in the following two games and he was back in the reserves as John Evans and Billy Liddell were both scoring plenty of goals. When Rowley did get a chance with the first team he usually scored. Rowley's career at Liverpool was bizarre. He didn't play much during the regular season due to injuries or bad form, but always managed to reclaim his place in the starting 11 and score more than his fair share of goals. He scored eight goals in 13 matches in his first full season, six goals in seven matches the next, followed by another half a dozen in 14 matches in 1956/57. 

Rowley finally put a run together of 19 games in his final season, scoring eight goals in six consecutive matches, but then injuries prevailed again and he was sold to third division Tranmere when two months were left of the campaign. While at Tranmere Rowley was chosen for the Welsh national side, making his only international appearance against Northern Ireland  on 22 April 1959. Rowley continued to score goals for Tranmere, 47 goals in 100 league matches, which is still below his Liverpool average, a goal every 1.66 games, an impressive ratio at any level. After retiring from playing Rowley ran a printing business which he had established in the 1950s with teammate Doug Rudham.
Appearances per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 60 3 0 0 0 63
1953-1954 2 0 0 0 0 2
1954-1955 13 0 0 0 0 13
1955-1956 7 0 0 0 0 7
1956-1957 14 0 0 0 0 14
1957-1958 24 3 0 0 0 27
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps Minutes Opponent
5 450 Rotherham United
4 360 Bristol Rovers
4 360 Bristol City
4 360 Lincoln City
4 360 Notts County
3 270 Swansea City
3 270 Middlesbrough
3 270 Huddersfield Town
2 180 Ipswich Town
2 180 Leeds United
2 180 Derby
2 180 Stoke City
2 180 Leyton Orient
2 180 Cardiff City
2 180 Doncaster Rovers
2 180 Southend
2 180 Grimsby Town
2 180 West Ham United
2 180 Fulham
2 180 Port Vale
1 90 Northampton Town
1 90 Nottingham Forest
1 90 Birmingham City
1 90 Plymouth Argyle
1 90 Sheffield United
1 90 Bury
1 90 Blackpool
1 90 Blackburn Rovers
1 90 Charlton Athletic
Total Venue
36 Away
27 Home
Total Competition
60 League
3 FA Cup
Total W D L Win % Manager
41 23 9 9 56.1% Phil Taylor
22 10 3 9 45.5% Don Welsh
Goals per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 37 1 0 0 0 38
1953-1954 1 0 0 0 0 1
1954-1955 8 0 0 0 0 8
1955-1956 6 0 0 0 0 6
1956-1957 6 0 0 0 0 6
1957-1958 16 1 0 0 0 17
A more detailed look at the player's goalscoring
Milestone Appearances
# Date Against Stadium Competition
1 19.04.1954 Middlesbrough Anfield League
50 26.10.1957 Bristol Rovers Anfield League
Milestone Goals
# Minute Date Against Stadium Competition
1 29 19.04.1954 Middlesbrough Anfield League
Scrapbook
Rowley on the cover of the Evening Express on 26 October 1957
Rowley on the cover of the Evening Express on 26 October 1957
Tony Rowley remembers his career
Tony Rowley remembers his career
Other Clubs
Club Season Club rank League apps League goals Total apps Total goals
Wellington Town Cheshire County League N/A N/A N/A N/A
Birmingham City 1949-1951 England First and Second Division 0 0 0 0
Stourbridge 1951-1953 Birmingham & District League N/A N/A N/A N/A
Tranmere Rovers 1957-1958 England Third Division North 9 1 9 1
Tranmere Rovers 1958-1959 England Third Division 36 24 38 26
Tranmere Rovers 1959-1960 England Third Division 39 14 40 14
Tranmere Rovers 1960-1961 England Third Division 16 6 21 8
Bangor City 1961-1962 England Cheshire County League N/A N/A N/A N/A
Northwich Vict. 1962-1963 England Cheshire County League N/A N/A N/A N/A
Mossley 1963-1964 England Cheshire County League N/A N/A N/A N/A
Total 100 45 108 49