John Rowland (footballer, born 1941) facts for kids

John Douglas Rowland (born April 7, 1941 – died 2020) was an English footballer. He was well-known for his incredibly powerful "hammer shot" when he kicked the ball! John played as a forward, which means he was usually trying to score goals. He scored 62 goals in 250 league games during his nine years playing in the Football League.

He started his football career at Nottingham Forest in 1960. Then, he moved to Port Vale in August 1962. In September 1966, he joined Mansfield Town. Two years later, he played for Tranmere Rovers. After that, he played for teams outside the main Football League, like South Shields and Derry City. Port Vale announced his passing on November 20, 2020.

John Rowland's Football Journey

John Rowland began his football journey playing for a team called Ironville Amateurs. In 1960, he joined Nottingham Forest, which was a top-tier team at the time. He played 26 league games for them between 1960 and 1962, scoring three goals. He also played for the England youth team, representing his country at a young age.

Playing for Port Vale

In August 1962, Port Vale signed John Rowland. He scored seven goals in 41 games in his first season with them. In the 1963–64 season, he played in some exciting matches, including an FA Cup win against Birmingham City and a draw against Liverpool at their famous stadium, Anfield.

John really hit his stride in the 1964–65 season, scoring five goals in 43 games. Even though Port Vale moved down to the Fourth Division, John kept improving. In the 1965–66 season, he became the team's top scorer, netting 23 goals in 46 games! He even set a club record by scoring in eight games in a row. In September 1966, he moved to Mansfield Town. He had played 166 games for Port Vale and scored 43 goals. He was happy at Port Vale, but the club needed money, so he made the move.

Later Career Teams

At Mansfield Town, John played for two seasons. The team finished ninth in the Third Division in 1966–67. In his time there, John played 53 games and scored 16 goals.

After Mansfield, he joined Tranmere Rovers for the 1968–69 season. He played 26 league games and scored three goals for them. Later, John played for teams outside the main professional leagues, like Northern Premier League side South Shields and then Derry City.

Career Statistics

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