Name: Thomas Shillington CowanBorn: 9 September 1899, Aghalee
Died: Brockville, Ontario (Canada)
Height:
Weight:
Position: Outside-Right
Representative Honours: Ireland: 1 Full Cap (1925), 1 Amateur Cap (1921); Canadian National Soccer League representative.
Club Honours: (with Linfield) Irish League Champion 1921/22, 1922/23; Irish Cup Winner 1921/22, 1922/23; Co. Antrim Shield Winner 1921/22, 1922/23; Gold Cup Winner; City Cup Winner 1921/22; Alhambra Cup Winner 1921/22; Charity Cup Winner 1921/22; (with Queen's Island) Irish League Champion 1923/24; Irish Cup Winner 1923/24; Co. Antrim Shield Winner 1923/24, City Cup Winner 1923/24, 1924/25; (with Ulster United) Ontario Cup Winner 1927
Club Career:
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Teams
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Seasons
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Signed
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Fee
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League
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FA Cup
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Other
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Willowfield
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Linfield
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20/21-22/23
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Apr-21
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Queen's
Island
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23/24-24/25
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Falkirk
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25/26
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c/s-25
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12/0
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2/1
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Queen's
Island
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26/27
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Toronto
Ulster United 1927-1928
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Jun-27
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(Canada)
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TOTALS
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£-
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Biography:
A member of the Queen's Island team that shone briefly in the Irish League through the 1920s before disappearing from senior football after less than a decade. Tommy Cowan played in The Island team that defeated Willowfield 1-0 in the 1924 Irish Cup Final to complete the "Double" and added the Co. Antrim Shield with a 3-0 win over Distillery and the City Cup for good measure.
Cowan had initially came to the fore with Linfield at the beginning of the decade, most notably in their seven-trophy team of 1921/22 when he played in 29 of the team's 43 games, scoring six times. One of four players ordered-off during the Irish Cup first round 5-1 win over Distillery, he was back in the team for the 2-1 win over Glenavon in the final. He also appeared in the deciding matches of the Alhambra Cup (1-0 versus Cliftonville), the Charity Cup (3-0 versus Cliftonville Olympic) and the Co. Antrim Shield (a 4-1 replay win over Distillery) and also added the league-based Irish League, City Cup and Gold Cup to his collection. The following season The Blues could only manage a "treble" of League, Irish Cup and Co. Antrim Shield.
After Queen's Island's successes, including another City Cup win and a runners-up spot in the 1924/25 Irish League campaign, Cowan was selected to fill the toubled outside-right berth in the Ireland side that drew 0-0 with Wales in April 1925. That summer he transferred to Falkirk, making his Scottish League debut away to Hearts on the 25 August. He lasted just a season with The Bairns before returning to Queen's Island who he aided to another Irish League runners-up spot.
Cowan then moved to Canada, signing with Toronto Ulster United. In July 1927 he appeared for Ulster against a touring Scottish FA team that featured former Ireland colleague, Patsy Gallagher. Gallagher was among the scorers as the "Scots" won 3-0. That season he scored twice as "The Red Handers" defeated Kirkland Lake 7-2 in the Ontario Cup final. He left Toronto after the 1928 season. He spent some time in the USA, but passed away back in Ontario.
Pre-War Falkirk Players (John Meffen)
Thomas Cowan b 9th September 1899, Aghalee
Debut – Saturday August 15th 1925 v Heart of Midlothian (A) Scottish League Division 1
Positions – Outside-Right
Scottish League Division 1 Matches /Goals [12/-]
Scottish Cup Matches/Goals [2/1]
Known Career – Willowfield, Linfield [1920/21-1923/24], Queen's Island [1924/25], Falkirk
[1925/26], Queen's Island [1926/27], Toronto Ulster United [Canada] [1926/27]
Ireland Cap Details:
18-04-1925 Wales.. A D 0-0 BC
Summary: 1/0. Won 0, Drew 1, Lost 0.
Ireland Amateur Cap Details:
Ireland Cap Details:
18-04-1925 Wales.. A D 0-0 BC
Summary: 1/0. Won 0, Drew 1, Lost 0.
Ireland Amateur Cap Details:
14-11-1921 England L 1-4
Summary: 1/0. Won 0, Drew 0, Lost 1.
With thanks to John Meffen.
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