Career
He initially played in The Football League with, but spent most of his career in non-league football, mainly with
Bowtell was a product of "s youth system, and had featured in the England schoolboy and youth teams. Turning professional on 1 January 1968, he made his first team debut aged 17 in a 4–0 defeat at home to Gillingham on 7 May 1968. He featured only occasionally during the following seasons, due to the strong performances of first-choice goalkeeper Ray Goddard.
After he was not selected at all during the 1970-1971 or 1972-1973 seasons, he moved into non-league football with Southern League club in July 1973, making his debut in a 3–2 defeat at home to Romford.
During his six seasons at, he missed very few matches, making 291 senior appearances in all. At the beginning of the 1976-1977 season, he went on trial with First Division side Derby County, playing in six reserve matches and only conceding once.
However, Derby declined to sign Bowtell and he returned to
In early 1979 he joined Dulwich Hamlet, making 164 senior appearances, and later moved on to other non-league clubs before retiring in 1987. He subsequently became a coach at his last club, Southern League Fisher Athletic, and also caretaker manager there for a time during 1988-1989, while they were in the Conference National.
Bowtell"s son Stacey also played as a goalkeeper for various non-league clubs, and is a prominent local DJ.
