Bobby Cowell

Robert Cowell (5 December 1922 – 11 January 1996) was an English football right-back. During his football career he only played for one club, Newcastle United.^[1][2] Despite his success with Newcastle he failed to win any caps for the England national team.

Bobby Cowell

Personal information
Full name	Robert Cowell
Date of birth	(1922-12-05)5 December 1922
Place of birth	Trimdon, England
Date of death	11 January 1996(1996-01-11) (aged 73)
Place of death	Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Position(s)	Right-back
Youth career
	Blackhall Colliery Welfare
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1943–1955	Newcastle United	289	(0)
Total		289	(0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Cowell was born in Trimdon Grange and worked as a coalminer at Blackhall Colliery as a teenager, as well as playing for the non-league football team Blackhall Colliery Welfare. He joined Newcastle in October 1943 at the age of 20 – a time when the club were only playing friendly matches as World War II meant all the football leagues in England were suspended. He made 81 appearances for Newcastle.^[3]

He made his Football League debut on 1 February 1947 in a match against Barnsley and would feature a further 12 times before the end of the season. He only played 19 league games for the rest of the following season as Newcastle were promoted into the First Division. However, he bided his time and became the club's first choice right-back for the 1948–49 season.

Along with Jackie Milburn and Bobby Mitchel Cowell featured in all three of Newcastle's FA Cup successes during the 1950s. He won his first FA Cup winners medal in 1951^[4] when Newcastle beat Blackpool 2–0 and the following year^[4] he was part of the team that surprised Arsenal and the first team to retain the cup since 1891. He won his third FA Cup title in 1955^[4] against Manchester City.

Retirement and death

Cowell was forced to retire in 1955 at the age of 33 when he picked up a serious knee injury during a pre-season tour of Germany. He had made 330 appearances for Newcastle.

One of Newcastle United's top goalscorers of all time, Jackie Milburn, stated that Cowell was "the best uncapped fullback I've ever known".

Cowell died on 11 January 1996 in Newcastle upon Tyne, aged 73.

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition^[5]

Club	Season	League		FA Cup		Other[a]		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Newcastle United	1945–46	–		2	0	0	0	2	0
	1946–47	13	0	4	0	0	0	17	0
	1947–48	19	0	0	0	0	0	19	0
	1948–49	38	0	1	0	0	0	39	0
	1949–50	20	0	0	0	0	0	20	0
	1950–51	42	0	8	0	0	0	50	0
	1951–52	40	0	7	0	0	0	47	0
	1952–53	36	0	2	0	1	0	39	0
	1953–54	41	0	4	0	2	0	47	0
	1954–55	40	0	10	0	0	0	50	0
Total		289	0	38	0	3	0	330	0

1. Includes Charity Shield and Coronation Cup.

Honours

Newcastle United

• FA Cup: 1950–51^[6] 1951–52,^[7] 1954–55^[7]