Gerry Bowler

June 8, 1919 (age 86)

Derry, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland

He played in the right-back or right-half positions. On 24 April 1943 he was signed by Distillery, in an Irish League record £1,000 deal, where he played 122 first-team games, scoring just once (a penalty against Cliftonville Football Club in 1946). Signed by Hull City A.F.C. for the 1949-1950 season, Bowler made 38 Division Two appearances, and was selected to play for Ireland. That season he played in all three games of the 1950 British Home Championship. Normally a centre-half, all three of his international appearances were made in unfamiliar positions - two at right-back, and one at right-half. In 1950, Bowler moved on again, signing for Division Three (South), Millwall. He helped the club to runners-up position in 1952-1953, but in those days that was not good enough for promotion. After 165 league appearances for the Lions, Gerry Bowler was forced to retire due to injury in 1955, although he did continue to turn out as player-manager for his work team, the Crawley-based Adjusted Present Value Chemical Company, until the 1962/63 season. Having settled in the south of England, Bowler died in Redhill, Surrey in March 2006.

Gerry Bowler

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Background

Bowler was born in Derry, Northern Ireland and began his senior footballing career with Derry City Football Club immediately prior to World World War II, having previously turned out for Derry Municipal Training College.

Career

He played in the right-back or right-half positions. On 24 April 1943 he was signed by Distillery, in an Irish League record £1,000 deal, where he played 122 first-team games, scoring just once (a penalty against Cliftonville Football Club in 1946). Signed by Hull City A.F.C. for the 1949-1950 season, Bowler made 38 Division Two appearances, and was selected to play for Ireland.

That season he played in all three games of the 1950 British Home Championship.

Normally a centre-half, all three of his international appearances were made in unfamiliar positions - two at right-back, and one at right-half. In 1950, Bowler moved on again, signing for Division Three (South), Millwall.

He helped the club to runners-up position in 1952-1953, but in those days that was not good enough for promotion. After 165 league appearances for the Lions, Gerry Bowler was forced to retire due to injury in 1955, although he did continue to turn out as player-manager for his work team, the Crawley-based Adjusted Present Value Chemical Company, until the 1962/63 season.

Having settled in the south of England, Bowler died in Redhill, Surrey in March 2006.

Achievements

At Distillery, Bowler played in the 1946 Irish Cup final, losing out 3-0 to Linfield Football Club, and the same season picked up a Company Antrim Shield winner"s medal (defeating Bangor Football Club Reserves 3-0 in a replayed final). In the summer of 1946 Bowler was signed by Portsmouth Football Club (at the time one of the top teams in the Football League), but made just eight league appearances in three seasons, missing out on a championship medal in 1948-1949.

Membership

Although he never added to his collection of international caps, Bowler was a member of the IFA"s touring party to North America in the summer of 1953.

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Gerry Bowler

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