JOE PACKED A WALLOP

THE BUDDING ROWAN AT LEVEN VALLEY BOYS CLUB

By any measure, Joe Rowan’s career tale is not unlike that of someone who scaled a mountain only to fall off the other side of it.

Those of us who had good reason to be in awe of the cannonball shot he packed in that left foot of his …none more so than former East Kilbride Thistle skipper Joe Reilly, once rendered unconscious by a Rowan free kick striking him on the head as he stood in a defensive wall … would argue he peaked (pardon the pun) during an unforgettable 1981-84 playing stint with Rob Roy.

Yet in reminiscing with the nowadays 61 year old this week ,it felt a tad sobering to hear Joe won nothing more than a `feared` reputation with the Rabs or for that matter any of the other clubs he turned out with in the Senior and Junior ranks.

Born and raised in “The Renton” as inhabitants of the West Dumbartonshire village prefer to call it , Joe attended St Pat’s Secondary and graduated to playing alongside Tommy Murray (later of Albion Rovers) and Stevie McGinn (father of John, Paul and Stephen) in a more than decent school team coached by Maths Teacher Jack Gilroy ,previously on the books of Celtic , St Johnstone and Stranraer.

Like so many other footballing-mad youngsters, Joe twinned his school team appearances on Saturday mornings with playing Boys Club football in the afternoons, in his case with Leven Valley Boys Club where he and similarly highly promising team mates Kenny Smith (Partick Thistle ) and John McElroy (Clydebank) learned the ropes under the tutelage of manager Jimmy Brown who would later manage Vale of Leven Juniors and Dumbarton.

Joe, himself a budding teenage protégé was to sign for Leicester City during Jock Wallace’s time in charge of Filbert Street playing matters but not before a brief `stop-off` at crack Drumchapel Amateurs where he has fond memories of playing under highly regarded Drum Under 21 coaching guru Davie Moyes Senior .

Joe lauded , “ Moyes the Father was years ahead of his time in terms of developing young players so it’s easy to understand why young David went on to become such a successful manager in the Senior game.

“ I was only 15 years of age yet played for an Under 21 side containing Kenny McDowall who himself went on to be assistant manager to Ally McCoist at Rangers though he’s probably better known for his playing career as a striker with Partick Thistle and St Mirren.

“I remember our team regularly competed for the top Under 21 honours with Eastercraigs and Anniesland Waverley whose star turns respectively were Graham Sharp (of Everton fame ) and Brian Corner (Fulham) by a quirk of coincidence later to be team mates of mine at Dumbarton.

Joe went on , “ The first I got to know of any definite interest from Leicester City was when I came home one night to find David Moyes Senior and Jock Wallace in discussions with my parents about the prospect of me moving down South.

“ Jock as you know had a reputation as a dyed in the wool Rangers man so I thought my Mum and Dad had kyboshed my signing chances when one of the questions they raised was whether the club would ensure I continued to regularly attend Mass?

“Some people might find it hard to believe but big Jock said he would personally make sure of it and I can vouch for him keeping his promise on each and every Sunday I was on the Leicester City books.”

Joe laughed in recalling another incident from that night, “Jock was a big man in every sense and broke my Mum’s couch when he sat on it but it says everything about him that despite her making light of it and waving away his apologies , a cheque for £300 arrived through the post a few days later !”

JOE (third from right middle row) ALEADY EXHIBITING SIGNS OF HOMESICKNESS AT LEICESTER

Not long afterwards, Joe had completed his move to the then English Second Division side where Gary Lineker was the blue-eyed boy among an emerging Leicester City band of players that also comprised of future Under 21 England caps Dave Buchanan and Andy Peake as well as John O’Neil, Tommy Williams and Peter Welsh while an injection of experience came from the likes of Dennis Rofe, Scotland internationalist Eddie Kelly ,Steve Lynex, Mark Wallington and Kevin McDonald among others.

The Second Division title was won in 1979/80 but before a ball was kicked in the top flight arena , homesick youngster Joe had returned North to put pen to paper for a Davie Wilson steered Dumbarton…on a glowing recommendation from previous gaffer Wallace.

JOE AS A DUMBARTON PLAYER

The Boghead Park dressing room he entered was not lacking for talented types of its own with such as Ally McLeod (brother of Murdo) ,Brian Gallagher, Graham Fyfe, Pat McLuskey Raymond Blair and brothers Joe and Tommy Coyle among those vying for jerseys across the middle of the park and Joe was to frustratingly make only a handful of first team appearances over the ensuing two and a bit seasons.

He recalled, “ It says everything about the time I had at Dumbarton when my most abiding memory is a 3-1 victory over Celtic in a Reserves match…and that’s only because Peter my Dad never spoke to me for close on a week after it.

“ My crying need for regular game time was a major factor behind my decision to drop back into the juvenile ranks with Leven Valley however as luck would have it , I was only there for a matter of weeks before Rob Roy came calling and I made my debut in a 5-1 ( I think) win over Kilsyth Rangers in which I scored a hat trick.”

Joe’s capacity for scoring goals from midfield soon established himself as an integral part of a Rabs side boasting worthies such as Jim Moore, Howard Sameroff ,Ian McGeachie, George Headley, Jim Deakin and George Crawford that made it all the way to the 1982 Scottish Junior Cup semi-finals only to lose out 2-0 against eventual trophy winners Blantyre Vics.

He recounted , “ We’ll never know whether that wonderful Rob Roy team of ours could have gone on to beat Bailleston in the Final however there’s no denying Blantyre Vics were a bit too street-wise for us in our semi-final .

“ I found that out first hand when I sent their speedy winger Andy McQuade flying with a strong tackle and during the next lull in play, the Vics midfielder Gerry Hamilton warned me against doing more of the same again with a punch to my face.”

It might have been their Cup run season or the following one 1982/83 wherein Rob Roy finish runners-up in the Sectional League Cup Final that Joe returned a remarkable 33 goals haul bringing Adamslie team mate Jim Fanning to bestow him with the nickname of Rifle Rowan .

“ I think 20 of them came from the penalty spot and were almost all down to Stevie Howie who had the ability to collapse in a heap if a defender so much as drew him an angry look inside the penalty area “ reflected Joe.

RIFLE ROWAN IN HIS PLAYING PEAK WITH ROB ROY

His four year stint with the Kirkintilloch club ended when Joe was tempted away at the onset of the 1984/85 season by a lucrative transfer bid from Bailleston where Jim Cook and Rusty Craig were overseeing a team rebuild following a 2-0 defeat inflicted by Bo’ness United in the previous season’s Scottish Junior Cup final.

“ Andy Walker and Crawford Baptie were in the throes of stepping up into the Senior ranks but other top names Jim Donaldson, Davie Murphy, Paul Lamont, George Clark and Tommy Walker were staying put and I felt it could be a good career move in terms of getting my hands on some silverware but unfortunately that’s not how things worked out.” admitted Joe,

“ When a few results went against us, Rusty was bulleted to allow Tam Young to come in as coach and right from the start, I found his way of playing the game was not my way so I put in a transfer request and got my wish no more than 18 months after joining the club.”

Joe’s next stop was to be at Yoker Athletic where former Rob Roy team mate Ian McGeachie was in charge of playing matters but even the prospect of combining midfield forces with one time Juveniles adversary Brian Corner could not prevent him feeling his Whe Ho move had been a mistake and six months down the line the near 35 year old was off on his travels again …to Vale of Leven where his one-time Leven Valley Boys Club mentor Jimmy Brown was holding the Millburn Park reins for a second time.

Forming a midfield trio alongside Hughie Hamill and Andy Oliver was to Joe’s liking particularly as ex-team mates from his earlier years such as Kenny Smith, Paul McGrogan and brothers Joe and Tom Carson were all turning out for the Vale however his enjoyment was to be cut short by injuries over the previous 20 plus years taking a toll on his body (he had cartilages removed from both knees) and he took the decision to retire from football in 1988.

JOE CALLED IT A DAY AT VALE OF LEVEN

“ If I’ve one regret, it’s not moving into coaching and management after I stopped playing “ remarked Joe before adding .

“And it’s not as if I didn’t have the opportunities because I turned down the late Adjie McColl’s generous offer to put me through my coaching badges when he was running Antonine’s Boys Club but I made the mistake of electing to play a bit of Golf instead and I’m just so glad my son Liam reignited my interest in the game .”

Joe , wife Katy and grandchildren Ivy Rose and Luca are to be found (every Saturday without fail) taking in games involving his son Liam who first caught the eye playing under Tony McInally at Pollok and latterly in 2018 with the Kieron McAnespie steered Clydebank .

His taking up a job with the M.O.D. involving shift work that prevents him from training two nights per week has resulted in the 28 year old dropping back into the amateur ranks to play with no little distinction for St Pats while also captaining Scotland Amateurs .

JOE’S DEVOID OF THE TRADEMARK GINGER LOCKS TODAY

A freak tale that came to Joe’s mind surrounded Liam ,back in his time at Pollok, appearing in a league game away to Auchinleck Talbot a number of years ago .

He reminisced ,”I had been sent off with Rob Roy alongside Ross Findlay of Talbot after we exchanged a few off the ball blows so I asked a few Talbot supporters if he ever came along to games and to my surprise they pointed him out standing on the terracing.

“I went over and introduced myself and we had a good chinwag during which it came out in the conversation that I was down to watch my son Liam playing for Pollok and to my astonishment Ross then revealed his own son (Martin I believe ) was in the Talbot team that day.

“And before you ask they weren’t chips of their old blocks ?

FIXTURES FOR SATURDAY 23rd SEPTEMBER (Kick Offs 2 PM unless stated):SCOTTISH GAS CUP.First Round.(2.30PM) Dunipace v Cumnock,Lossiemouth v Beith, Dalkeith Thistle v Clydebank, Broomhill v Cumbernauld Colts, Dundonald Bluebell v Kilwinning Rangers, Penicuik Athletic v Pollok, Bo’ness Utd v Darvel.P.D.M HUWS GRAY Premier Division. Largs Thistle v Hurlford Utd, Gartcairn v St Cadocs, Benburb v Rob Roy, Troon v Arthurlie, Glenafton v Irvine Meadow.P.D.M HUWS GRAYFirst Division. Johnstone Burgh v Neilston, Renfrew v Drumchapel Utd , Kilwinning Rangers v Kilbirnie Ladeside, Blantyre Vics v Petershill, Maybole v Whitletts Vics, Thorniewood Utd v St Rochs, Cambuslang Rangers v Shotts Bon Accord, Rutherglen Glencairn v Ashfield.PDM HUWS GRAY Second Division. Glasgow Perthshire v Yoker Athletic, Larkhall Thistle v Forth Wanderers, Cumbernauld Utd v St Anthonys, Caledonian Locomotives v Bonnyton Thistle, Ardrossan Winton Rovers v Craigmark, Muirkirk v Glasgow University.PDM HUWS GRAYThird Division. Vale of Leven v Ardeer Thistle, Bellshill Athletic v Kello Rovers, West Park Utd v Threave Rovers, Finnart v Irvine Vics, Greenock v Port Glasgow (Friday 7.45PM), Dalry Thistle v Kilsyth Athletic, Lesmahagow v Lanark Utd, Girvan v Glasgow Utd. PDM HUWS GRAYFourth Division. Easterhouse v Royal Albert, Giffnock v Campbeltown Pupils , Lugar Boswell v Carluke Rovers, Glenvale v Rossvale, BSC Glasgow v Eglinton, ,East Kilbride Thistle v St Peters, Saltcoats Vics v Thorn Athletic, Newmains Utd v Knightswood.

Regards

Jim O’Donnell