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.
Canadian National Soccer League
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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