Career
He appeared in the Football League for Plymouth Argyle, Arsenal and Newcastle United. He was capped six times by England, scoring one goal. Born in Looe, Cornwall, he played for local non-league side Looe.
A prolific inside forward, despite his slight frame he scored over 100 goals in a season, including ten in a single match.
He was spotted by Plymouth Argyle, and signed for the Pilgrims as an amateur in 1926. He still worked as an auctioneer in his day job.
In all he scored 82 goals in 145 league matches for Argyle, more than a goal every other game. Bowden signed for Herbert Chapman"s Arsenal in March 1933 for £4,500, as the intended replacement for David Jack.
Playing mainly as an inside forward, behind Ted Drake, he still scored his fair share despite his slight build in what was a very physical game at the time.
His goalscoring included a haul of 13 in 1933-1934, which made him Arsenal"s joint-top score in the league, along with Cliff Bastin. In all Bowden represented his country six times, scoring once, against Wales in February 1936. In all he played 138 matches for the Gunners, scoring 48 goals.
Bowden was a regular for Newcastle United for the next two years (although the club narrowly escaped relegation in his first season).
With the outbreak of World World War II, first-class football was suspended, and the 30-year-old Bowden decided to call it quits. He died in 1998, aged 89, by which time he was the last surviving player of the great interwar Arsenal side.