Michael Dowling (footballer)

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Michael Dowling
Personal information
Full name Michael Dowling[1]
Date of birth (1890-03-30)30 March 1890[2]
Place of birth Jarrow, England
Date of death 1969[2] (aged 79)
Place of death Rother Valley, Yorkshire
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[3]
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
St Bede's (Jarrow)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
190?–1909 Jarrow Croft
1909–1910 St Mirren
1910–1911 The Wednesday 7 (0)
1911–1913 Portsmouth
1913–1914 Jarrow
1914–1920 Lincoln City 28 (4)
1920–1925 Ebbw Vale
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Michael Dowling (30 March 1890 – 1969) was an English footballer who made 35 appearances in the Football League playing as a forward for The Wednesday and Lincoln City.[1] He also played for St Mirren in the Scottish League, for Portsmouth and Ebbw Vale in the Southern League, and in non-League football for Jarrow.[1]

Life and career[edit]

Dowling was born in 1890 in Jarrow, County Durham, the son of Arthur Patrick Dowling, a merchant seaman, and his wife Catherine née Dowey.[4] He attended St Bede's Catholic School in the town and played for St Bede's F.C.[5]

Dowling moved on to Jarrow Croft, from where he joined Scottish First Division club St Mirren in September 1909.[6] He played mainly at outside right, but also appeared in other forward positions,[7] scored four goals from 16 appearances in all competitions,[6] and St Mirren were keen to retain his services at the end of the season, but he chose to return to England. He signed for The Wednesday in May 1910,[7] and made his English Football League debut on 17 September away to Preston North End in place of Sam Kirkman. Despite his early goal being disallowed for fouling an opponent, his team won 3–1.[8] He played in the next three matches, once at outside right and twice at centre forward, and a further three in the second half of the season, all in the First Division.[2][9]

When Wednesday's scout, Robert Brown, left to become secretary-manager of Portsmouth, newly relegated to the Second Division of the Southern League and struggling financially, Dowling and another young forward, Frank Stringfellow, went along. The pseudonymous "Athleo" of the Sheffield Sports Special "[could] not understand Dowling being allowed to go",[10][11] and later described him as "a good worker with a sensible habit of popping frequently at goal."[12] Dowling helped Portsmouth finish as runners-up in his first season,[11] and remained with the club for a further season at the higher level, before returning to his native north-east where he signed for Jarrow, an amalgamation of the former Jarrow Croft and Jarrow Caledonians clubs.[13]

After one season in the North-Eastern League, Dowling returned to the Football League with Lincoln City.[3] He made 14 appearances in the Second Division, and scored his first Football League goal, on 17 April 1915 in a 2–1 defeat away to Bristol City. His ability to play in any forward position made him valuable cover for Jack Manning, Arthur Wolstenholme or Frank Pattison,[14][15] and he earned himself a reputation as "a dashing and assertive forward",[16] but he was never a first choice in the side.

Dowling returned to Jarrow during the First World War where he worked in the shipyards.[17] He married Julia Pearson in 1915,[18] but the marriage was not a success. In 1919, she summoned him for desertion. According to her evidence, she had left him more than once because he mistreated her, and after he joined the Navy in 1918 he had stopped paying her allowance. The court ruled that there was no desertion, and made no order against Dowling.[17] After demobilisation he rejoined Lincoln City,[16] and made a further 14 appearances during the first post-war season,[2] at the end of which Lincoln finished 21st and failed to be re-elected.[19] Dowling moved on to Ebbw Vale,[20] scored freely as they won the Southern League Welsh Section in 1921–22 and the overall Southern League title the following year,[21] his record including four goals "in about ten minutes" as Ebbw Vale beat Abertillery 9–0 in March 1923,[22] and was still playing for them in the 1924–25 season.[23]

The 1939 Register finds Dowling living in Kilnhurst, Yorkshire, and working as a colliery fitter.[24] His death at the age of 79 was registered in the Rother Valley district of Yorkshire in the last quarter of 1969.[25]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 77. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  2. ^ a b c d "Player search: Dowling, M (Michael)". English National Football Archive. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  3. ^ a b "New forwards for Lincoln City". Sports Special. Sheffield. 11 July 1914. p. 3.
  4. ^ "Michael Dowling". England Births and Christenings, 1538–1975. Retrieved 22 June 2020 – via FamilySearch.org.
    "Arthur P Dowling". England and Wales Census, 1881. RG11 1217/13. Retrieved 22 June 2020 – via FamilySearch.org.
    "Michael Dowling". England and Wales Census, 1891. RG12 4168/108. Retrieved 22 June 2020 – via FamilySearch.org.
  5. ^ Hanratty, Charles Kilford. "Jarrow St Bede's Football Club 1894–1961". Donmouth. Patrick Brennan. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Player profiles D". StMirren.info. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  7. ^ a b "Wednesday still signing". Yorkshire Telegraph and Star. 21 May 1910. p. 6.
  8. ^ "Preston North End v. Sheffield W.". Sporting Life. London. 19 September 1910. p. 7.
  9. ^ Jackson, Stuart. "M Dowling". Sheffield Wednesday Archive. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  10. ^ Athleo (19 August 1911). "Wednesday. Great hopes built on the coming season". Sports Special. Sheffield. p. 3.
  11. ^ a b "Portsmouth FC History: 1910s – Portsmouth win the Southern League". Welcome to Portsmouth. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  12. ^ Athleo (26 October 1912). "Men & matters. A trusty Blade". Sports Special. Sheffield. p. 1.
  13. ^ "Jarrow club's list of players". Newcastle Daily Chronicle. 6 August 1913. p. 5.
  14. ^ "Notts Forest 3, Lincoln City 2". Sheffield Independent. 2 October 1914. p. 3.
  15. ^ "Lincoln City v. Hull City". Sports Special. Sheffield. 10 October 1914. p. 4.
  16. ^ a b "More new players signed". Lincolnshire Echo. 12 August 1919. p. 3.
  17. ^ a b "Michael Dowling. Footballer summoned for desertion". Nottingham Journal. 14 August 1919. p. 3.
  18. ^ "Michael Dowling". England Marriages, 1538–1973. Retrieved 22 June 2020 – via FamilySearch.org.
  19. ^ "Lincoln City". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  20. ^ "Football. Ebbw Vale's latest acquisition". Western Mail. Cardiff. 11 June 1920. p. 6.
  21. ^ "Ebbw Vale". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  22. ^ "Southern League. Four goals in ten minutes by Ebbw Vale player". Western Mail. Cardiff. 13 March 1923. p. 4.
  23. ^ "Football notes. Three teams out. Ebbw Vale beaten at Huish". Western Chronicle. Yeovil. 19 December 1924. p. 12.
  24. ^ "Michael Dowling". 1939 Register. RG101/3741I KOVJ – via Ancestry Library Edition.
  25. ^ "Michael Dowling". England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837–2007. Retrieved 22 June 2020 – via FamilySearch.org.
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