Tony Rowley

Forward · Liverpool 1953–1958

Tony Rowley

Personal

Born
19 September 1929
Place of birth
Porthcawl, Wales
Died
28 April 2006
International
1/0 Debut 22.04.1959 vs. Northern Ireland
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)

At Liverpool

Signed from
Stourbridge
Joined
17 October 1953
First goal
19 April 1954
Last goal
8 January 1958
Last appearance
1 February 1958
Contract expiry
13 March 1958

Liverpool career

63 Appearances
38 Goals
7 Assists
  • League 60 apps · 37 goals · 7 assists
  • Win ratio 52.38% — W 33 · D 12 · L 18

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
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
Totals 60 3 0 0 0 63

A more detailed look at the player's appearances

Total Started/substitutions
63 Started
0 Substituted
0 Substitute
0 On bench
Total Venue
27 Home
36 Away
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 45.4% Don Welsh

Goals per season

Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
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
Totals 37 1 0 0 0 38

The player scored 38 goals in 29 different matches.

A more detailed look at the player's goals

Assists per season

Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
1953-1954 1 0 0 0 0 1
1956-1957 1 0 0 0 0 1
1957-1958 5 0 0 0 0 5
Totals 7 0 0 0 0 7

A more detailed look at the player's assists

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Doug Rudham and Laurie Hughes retire from football

Published in the Liverpool Echo: 4 May 4 1960.