Alan Gow

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This article is about the Scottish footballer. For the series director of the British Touring Car Championship, see Alan J. Gow.

Alan Gow
Personal information
Full name Alan Gow[1]
Date of birth (1982-10-09) 9 October 1982 (age 39)
Place of birth Clydebank, Scotland
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Position(s) Forward / Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2002 Clydebank 7 (0)
2002–2005 Airdrie United 84 (25)
2005–2007 Falkirk 70 (13)
2007–2009 Rangers 2 (0)
2008 → Blackpool (loan) 17 (5)
2009 → Norwich City (loan) 13 (0)
2009–2010 Plymouth Argyle 14 (2)
2010 → Hibernian (loan) 7 (1)
2010–2011 Motherwell 15 (2)
2011 Notts County 16 (2)
2011–2012 East Bengal 10 (5)
2012–2014 Exeter City 58 (14)
2014 → Bristol Rovers (loan) 4 (0)
2015–2016 St Mirren 16 (0)
2018 Stirling Albion (trial) 2 (0)
2018–2019 Queen's Park 17 (0)
Total 352 (69)
National team
2007 Scotland B 1 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Alan Gow (born 9 October 1982)[3] is a Scottish former footballer who now works for SPFL League One side Falkirk as head of football operations.[4] As a player he played as either a striker or an attacking midfielder.

Gow started his senior career with his hometown club Clydebank, and continued with Airdrie United after they took over the league place and assets of Clydebank in 2002. He then moved to Scottish Premier League club Falkirk in 2005, and his performances there earned him a transfer to Rangers. Gow failed to break into the Rangers first team, however, and after loan spells with Blackpool and Norwich City, he moved to Football League Championship club Plymouth Argyle. Gow fell out of favour at Plymouth after a managerial change; he was loaned to Hibernian and was then released from his contract during the 2010 close season. He then played for Motherwell and Notts County during the 2010–11 season. In 2011–12, Gow played 5 times for East Bengal. In 2012 he then signed for Exeter City and scored 14 goals in 58 appearances.

Club career[]

Early career[]

Born in Clydebank and a pupil at Braidfield High School,[5] Gow started his career at Yoker Boys Club before joining Clydebank, his hometown club. He joined Airdrie United on 30 August 2002,[6] after Airdrie had acquired Clydebank's place in the Scottish Football League.[7] Gow turned out for Clydebank in a special friendly to mark the club's rebirth in 2003. He played for Airdrie for three years, helping them to win the Scottish Second Division championship in 2004. He played in 98 matches and scored 33 goals for Airdrie.

Falkirk[]

Gow joined Falkirk in June 2005, following their promotion to the Scottish Premier League from the Scottish First Division in the 2004–05 season, on a two-year contract[8] where he became an important member of their squad, helping them retain their SPL status in 2005–06. His performances in the 2006–07 season led to interest from Rangers, Celtic, Hibernian, Aberdeen. English club Wolverhampton Wanderers also had a bid turned down for Gow.[9] On New Year's Day 2007 he scored a hat-trick as Falkirk won 5–1 at Dundee United,[10] which led to the club's manager John Hughes saying of him, "I think he is destined for the Premiership". He also tipped him to earn a full Scotland cap.[11]

Gow marked his 81st and final appearance for the Bairns by scoring in a 3–0 win against relegated Dunfermline Athletic.[12]

Rangers[]

On 26 January 2007, Falkirk turned down an improved bid from Gow's boyhood heroes Rangers for the striker. While the first offer was £100,000, Falkirk manager John Hughes was said to have been holding out for £500,000 in the hope of selling him before he could leave on a free transfer in the summer. After failed late attempts to sign Gow before the January transfer window closed, Rangers signed him for three years on a pre-contract agreement for him to join the club in the summer.[9]

After being granted special permission by Falkirk, Gow made his Rangers debut in a post-season friendly match against MLS club Los Angeles Galaxy at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles, United States, coming on as a half time substitute for Nacho Novo. His first competitive match was four months later, on 26 September 2007, when he played in a League Cup match against East Fife.[13]

On 17 June 2008, English Championship club, Burnley accepted a £3 million offer from Rangers for striker Kyle Lafferty, with Gow due to go the other way as part of the deal. However, Gow opted to stay with Rangers, but the deal for Lafferty still went ahead. Later in June, Gow visited Carrow Road to have talks over a possible move to another Championship club, Norwich City. Despite the player and his agent expressing interest in the move, the club did not pursue its interest in Gow.[14][15]

Blackpool loan move[]

On 31 August 2008 he was linked with a move to Burnley's Lancashire rivals Blackpool.[16] And on 1 September 2008 he signed for the Seasiders on loan until 1 January 2009, with a set fee already in place to sign him permanently should he impress.[17] Gow said of the move, "Obviously it hasn't worked out the way I thought it should have at Rangers but I need to go out, play some games and get my fitness back." He also confirmed that SPL club Hearts had been interested in signing him.[15] He scored his first goal for the Seasiders on 4 October 2008 against Cardiff City. After coming on as a substitute in the 77th minute he scored the equaliser deep into the fifth minute of injury time as the clubs drew 1–1 at Bloomfield Road.[18]

He made his first start for the Seasiders on 21 October 2008 scoring a goal as Blackpool beat Derby County 3–2 at Bloomfield Road.[19] With long-term injuries to two of the club's strikers, Daniel Nardiello and Stephen McPhee, coupled with a short-term injury to Steve Kabba, Gow was used as a striker. And after scoring his third goal in eight games for the Seasiders, when he again struck in injury time, in the 92nd minute, to seal a 4–3 win over Watford at Vicarage Road, the club's manager Simon Grayson confirmed that he wanted to sign Gow permanently. Grayson said of him, "When he keeps performing like that, we'd like to get something sorted. He had opportunities to go to Norwich and Birmingham and turned them down and came here. There's a fee agreed with Rangers and we've talked about it in the last few weeks."[20] At the end of his loan spell, on 31 December 2008 he returned to Rangers.

In January 2009 Rangers confirmed that they were in negotiations with Wolverhampton Wanderers over a proposed move for the player.[21] Gow agreed to join the Championship side in a two-and-a-half-year deal on 6 January 2009 for an undisclosed fee, around £250,000, pending a medical,[22] however the medical subsequently revealed an issue that caused Wolves to pull out of the deal.[23]

Norwich City loan move[]

On 2 February 2009, Gow joined Norwich City on loan until the end of the season.[24] He made his debut for the club as a substitute in a 3–3 draw away to Wolverhampton Wanderers – whom he almost joined earlier in the transfer window – the following day.

Plymouth Argyle[]

Rangers accepted a £200,000 bid for the player from Plymouth Argyle in August 2009.[25] Gow completed the deal on 14 August, signing a two-year contract with the Championship side.[26] He scored his first goal during his debut in a 3–1 home defeat to Cardiff due to a late penalty given away by former Argyle player Tony Capaldi, who received a second yellow card for the offence.[27] He scored again in his second appearance for the club against Sheffield Wednesday.[28]

Gow fell out of favour at Plymouth after the departure of manager Paul Sturrock. On 1 February 2010, Gow joined Hibernian on loan until the end of the season.[29] SPL rivals Hearts and Aberdeen were also interested in signing Gow, but his relationship with manager John Hughes, who had previously managed him at Falkirk, influenced Gow in his decision.[30] Gow scored a goal on his debut for Hibs, the final goal in a 5–1 Scottish Cup win against Montrose.[31] He subsequently suffered from hamstring injuries, which restricted his appearances.[32] Gow expressed a desire to stay at Hibs and to leave Plymouth permanently,[32] but he was returned to Plymouth at the end of the loan.[33] Gow was released by Plymouth in July 2010.[33][34]

Motherwell[]

It was reported by the Swindon Advertiser that Gow had agreed personal terms and completed a medical with Football League One club Swindon Town on 30 August 2010, before demanding a "considerable rise" on the agreed basic wage.[35] Swindon Town director Jeremy Wray commented:[35]

he was trying to improve it [his contract] before he had even pulled on a Swindon shirt and kicked a ball for the club. That is a disgrace.

Three days later, Gow signed for SPL club Motherwell on a six-month deal.[36]

After signing for Motherwell, Gow responded to the criticism from Swindon by stating that he had not agreed a contract with them.[36] He also stated that he had merely travelled there to discuss their offer and had left after he found that he "wasn't happy with the deal".[36] Gow cited the presence of Archie Knox as being one of the positive reasons for signing for Motherwell, while conceding that he had made mistakes earlier in his career in his choice of clubs.[36] He then made his Motherwell debut on 11 September, as a substitute against St Johnstone.[37] He scored his first goal for the club when he scored a late winning goal against Dundee United, in a League Cup tie on 26 October 2010.[38] He would only score one other goal during his time at the Fir Park club, with new Motherwell manager Stuart McCall then deciding against offering Gow a new deal.[39]

Notts County[]

Gow signed for Notts County on 14 January 2011.[40] He then made his debut in the 0–0 draw away to Southampton. Gow scored a goal for Notts County away to Tranmere Rovers on 5 February 2011, but the match was abandoned early in the second half.[41] Gow was released on 16 May, along with eight other players.

East Bengal[]

Gow was offered a one-year contract by Indian club East Bengal, and he travelled there for a trial assessment in July 2011.[42][43] Gow agreed to join the club in August 2011, with the move subject to his visa application being approved.[44] On 13 January 2012, East Bengal FC released Gow from the club.[45] Gow then entered contract negotiations with Iranian club Rah Ahan, despite the UK Government advising him not to travel there.[46]

Exeter City[]

On 22 March 2012, Gow completed a move to Exeter City on a deal until the end of the season.[47] He scored his first goals for Exeter in a 4–2 win over Walsall on 21 April 2012.[48]

Gow signed a new two-year contract with Exeter City in May 2012, but his deal was not renewed and he was released by the club in the summer of 2014.[49]

Bristol Rovers Loan[]

On 7 February 2014, Gow joined Bristol Rovers on loan for the remainder of the 2013–14 season with Eliot Richards joining Exeter City on loan in the opposite direction.[50] However, during a match against Scunthorpe United on 25 February, Gow was stretchered off suffering ligament damage leaving him unable to play for around six weeks.[51]

St Mirren[]

Gow signed for St Mirren on 20 February 2015, until the end of season 2014–15.[52] He made his debut on 28 February in a 1–0 home win against Hamilton Academical.[53] Gow signed a new one-year deal with the club on 16 June 2015.[54] He was released by St Mirren at the end of the 2015/16 season.[55]

Queen's Park[]

After two seasons out of senior football, Gow signed for Scottish League Two side Queen's Park in December 2018, having spent time on trial with the club and league rivals Stirling Albion.[56]

Statistics[]

As of 6 January 2019[57]
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Clydebank 2000–01 Scottish Second Division 2 0 0 0 0 0 - - - - 2 0
2001–02 5 0 0 0 0 0 - - 1 0 6 0
Total 7 0 0 0 0 0 - - 1 0 8 0
Airdrie United 2002–03 Scottish Second Division 2002-2004

Scottish First Division 2004-2005

27 5 2 1 2 0 - - - - 31 6
2003–04 32 11 2 0 2 0 - - 3 0 39 11
2004–05 25 9 0 0 2 0 - - 1 0 28 9
Total 84 25 4 1 6 0 - - 4 0 98 26
Falkirk 2005–06 Scottish Premier League 34 6 4 3 2 1 - - - - 40 10
2006–07 36 7 2 1 3 0 - - - 0 41 8
Total 70 13 6 4 5 1 - - - - 81 18
Rangers 2007–08 Scottish Premier League 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 - - 2 0
Blackpool (loan) 2008–09 Championship 17 5 0 0 0 0 - - - - 17 5
Norwich City (loan) 2008–09 Championship 13 0 0 0 0 0 - - - - 13 0
Plymouth Argyle 2009–10 Championship 14 2 0 0 0 0 - - - - 14 2
Hibernian (loan) 2009–10 Scottish Premier League 7 0 1 1 0 0 - - - - 8 1
Motherwell 2010–11 Scottish Premier League 9 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 - - 11 2
Notts County 2010–11 League One 16 1 2 0 0 0 - - - - 18 1
East Bengal 2011–12 I-League 5 2 3 3 0 0 - - - - 8 5
Exeter City 2011–12 League One 7 3 0 0 0 0 - - - - 7 3
2012–13 League Two 26 4 1 0 1 0 - - 1 0 29 4
2013–14 25 7 1 0 1 0 - - 1 0 28 7
Total 58 14 2 0 2 0 - - 2 0 64 14
Bristol Rovers (loan) 2013–14 League Two 4 0 0 0 0 0 - - - - 4 0
St Mirren 2014–15 Scottish Premiership 8 0 0 0 0 0 - - - - 8 0
2015–16 Scottish Championship 8 0 0 0 0 0 - - 1 1 9 1
Total 16 0 0 0 0 0 - - 1 1 17 1
Stirling Albion (trial) 2018–19 Scottish League Two 2 0 0 0 0 0 - - 0 0 2 0
Queen's Park 2018–19 Scottish League Two 4 0 0 0 0 0 - - 0 0 4 0
Career total 326 63 19 9 16 2 0 0 8 1 369 75

International career[]

On 30 January 2007, Alex McLeish named Gow in the Scotland B team to play Finland B at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock on 7 February.[58][59] Gow came on as a substitute in the 61st minute and scored three minutes later as the teams drew 2–2.[60]

Post-career[]

On 25 August 2020, Gow was named as head of football operations at his former club Falkirk FC.

References[]

  1. ^ "Alan Gow". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  2. ^ "Alan Gow". Soccerway. Global Sports Media. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
  3. ^ "Barcalomond Under 11 – Alan Gow (Rangers) & Grace Wilson (CHAS)". Barcalomond Junior Football Club. Archived from the original on 20 March 2008. Retrieved 4 September 2008.
  4. ^ "Falkirk appoint Alan Gow as head of football operations". www.falkirkherald.co.uk. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  5. ^ Farewell to Braidfield, Clydebank Post, 30 September 2009
  6. ^ "Transfers – August 2002". BBC Sport. 5 September 2002. Retrieved 4 September 2008.
  7. ^ "Airdrie United given green light". BBC Sport. 1 July 2002. Retrieved 8 March 2010.
  8. ^ "Falkirk complete double signing". BBC Sport. 1 June 2005.
  9. ^ a b "Rangers seal Gow summer transfer". BBC Sport. 1 February 2007.
  10. ^ "Dundee Utd 1–5 Falkirk". BBC Sport. 1 January 2007. Retrieved 4 September 2008.
  11. ^ "Hughes tips Gow for high honours". BBC Sport. 1 January 2007. Retrieved 4 September 2008.
  12. ^ "Dunfermline Athletic 0–3 Falkirk". BBC Sport. 19 May 2007.
  13. ^ "East Fife 0–4 Rangers". BBC Sport. 26 September 2007.
  14. ^ "Gow in talks over Norwich switch". BBC Sport. 25 June 2008. Archived from the original on 17 September 2008. Retrieved 4 September 2008.
  15. ^ a b "Gow Arrives at Bloomers". Blackpool F.C. 4 September 2008. Archived from the original on 14 September 2008. Retrieved 4 September 2008.
  16. ^ Faskin, Neil (31 August 2008). "Laszlo quiet on Riordan deal". Sunday Herald. Archived from the original on 3 September 2008. Retrieved 31 August 2008.
  17. ^ "Gow Arrives!". Blackpool F.C. 1 September 2008. Archived from the original on 21 November 2008. Retrieved 1 September 2008.
  18. ^ Canavan, Steve (4 October 2008). "Last gasp joy for Blackpool against Cardiff". Blackpool Gazette. Archived from the original on 5 October 2008. Retrieved 4 October 2008.
  19. ^ Canavan, Steve (21 October 2008). "Blackpool win five-goal thriller". Blackpool Gazette. Archived from the original on 25 October 2008. Retrieved 4 October 2008.
  20. ^ "Grayson wants to sort Gow deal". TEAMtalk. 4 November 2008. Archived from the original on 7 February 2009. Retrieved 4 October 2008.
  21. ^ "Smith confirms Wolves Gow talks". BBC Sport. 2 January 2009. Retrieved 2 January 2009.
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  23. ^ "Rangers' Gow fails Wolves medical". BBC Sport. 9 January 2009. Archived from the original on 16 January 2009. Retrieved 9 January 2009.
  24. ^ "Alan Gow joins Canaries". Norwich City FC. 2 February 2009. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2009.
  25. ^ "Gers agree Gow fee with Plymouth". BBC Sport. 4 August 2009.
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  27. ^ "Plymouth 1 – 3 Cardiff". BBC. 18 August 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  28. ^ "Plymouth 1 – 3 Sheff Wed". BBC. 29 August 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  29. ^ "Hibernian sign Alan Gow". Hibernian F.C. 1 February 2010. Archived from the original on 4 February 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
  30. ^ Hardie, David (4 February 2010). "Hibs boss diverted Alan Gow from Aberdeen". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
  31. ^ "Hibernian 5–1 Montrose". BBC Sport. 6 February 2010.
  32. ^ a b "Alan Gow: I want to sign permanent deal with Hibs". Daily Record. 8 April 2010. Retrieved 8 April 2010.
  33. ^ a b "Plymouth Argyle striker Alan Gow left in limbo after Hibs exit". The Herald. 17 May 2010. Archived from the original on 20 May 2010. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  34. ^ "Gow gone". Plymouth Argyle official website. 9 July 2010. Archived from the original on 13 July 2010. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
  35. ^ a b Marshall, Anthony (1 September 2010). "Wilson slams rivals for trying to unsettle Austin". Swindon Advertiser. Archived from the original on 3 September 2010. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  36. ^ a b c d "Alan Gow defends move to Motherwell". BBC Sport. 2 September 2010. Archived from the original on 2 September 2010. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
  37. ^ "St Johnstone 0–2 Motherwell". BBC Sport. 11 September 2010. Archived from the original on 16 September 2010. Retrieved 18 September 2010.
  38. ^ "Motherwell 1–0 Dundee Utd". BBC Sport. 26 October 2010.
  39. ^ "Gow leaves Well as McCall looks ahead to Dens cup clash". STV Sport. 7 January 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  40. ^ "Notts County sign Alan Gow and Lewis Gobern". BBC Sport. 16 January 2011. Archived from the original on 25 January 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  41. ^ "Tranmere A-A Notts County". BBC Sport. 5 February 2011. Archived from the original on 9 February 2011. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
  42. ^ Burns, Scott (20 July 2011). "Alan Gow fancies an Indian take-away". Scottish Daily Express. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
  43. ^ "Morgan is okay with the 40-match cap". The Telegraph. 29 July 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2011. Meanwhile, a midfielder from Scotland – Alan Gow – has arrived at the East Bengal camp, but his selection depends only on whether he is able to pass the trial successfully.
  44. ^ "Alan Gow heads for Kingfisher in Indian top flight". BBC Sport. BBC. 15 August 2011. Archived from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 15 August 2011.
  45. ^ "Transfer Talk: January 13, 2012 – Celtic star Hooper could become a Saint; Rangers move for Jaager; Dons ace Arnasson in demand". dailyrecord.co.uk. dailyrecord.co.uk. 13 January 2011. Archived from the original on 16 January 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  46. ^ "Changing room chat: Alan Gow not fazed by move to Iran". scotsman.com. 7 February 2012. Archived from the original on 5 December 2019.
  47. ^ Pilnick, Brent (22 March 2012). "Exeter City sign free agents Rohan Ricketts & Alan Gow". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
  48. ^ "Exeter 4–2 Walsall". BBC. 21 April 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  49. ^ "Six to leave Exeter City". Football League. 8 May 2014.
  50. ^ "Alan Gow Joins On Loan". Bristol Rovers FC. 7 February 2014.
  51. ^ "ALAN GOW SCAN RESULTS". bristolrovers.co.uk. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
  52. ^ "Alan Gow: St Mirren sign forward until end of the season". BBC Sport. BBC. 20 February 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  53. ^ "St Mirren 1-0 Hamilton". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  54. ^ "Alan Gow – Signs 1 Year Deal". www.saintmirren.net. 16 June 2015. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  55. ^ "Squad Update". St Mirren FC. 3 May 2016. Archived from the original on 5 June 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  56. ^ Mitchell, Rj (30 October 2018). "Update from the manager". Stirling Albion Football Club.
  57. ^ Alan Gow at Soccerbase
  58. ^ "Scotland B squad to face Finland". Scottish Football Association. 30 January 2007. Archived from the original on 7 February 2009. Retrieved 30 January 2007.
  59. ^ "Gow & McGregor given Scots chance". BBC Sport. 30 January 2007. Retrieved 4 September 2008.
  60. ^ "Scotland B internationals". Scottish Football Association. 30 January 2007. Archived from the original on 7 February 2009. Retrieved 4 September 2008.
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