Norman Terence Sinclair Rowe (born 8 June 1964) is an English retired professional footballer. He spent three seasons in the American Professional Soccer League, eight in the Major Indoor Soccer League, four in the Continental Indoor Soccer League and two in the NPSL II.
Playing career
After a spell with Fulham as a junior,
Rowe began his career in the Brentford youth team when he was fifteen. He turned professional with Brentford and became the first black player to make a senior appearance for the club.
Rowe played 81 games before a change of managers saw him demoted to the reserves.
In 1984, after moves to Wimbledon and Sunderland fell through,
scouts from the
Wichita Wings of the Major Indoor Soccer League approached him and he moved to the United States. He remained with the Wings until 1990. On 6 July 1990, he signed a one-year contract with the
Cleveland Crunch.
[ DEALS USA TODAY – Friday, 6 July 1990] However, in September, he discovered that the move to Cleveland voided his work visa and he returned to the Wings.
[ ROWE WILL PLAY FOR WINGS AGAIN VETERAN CREATES TRAFFIC JAM AT DEFENDER Wichita Eagle, The (KS) – Thursday, 27 September 1990] In February 1991, he signed with the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the American Professional Soccer League.
He finished the MISL season with Wichita, then joined the Rowdies in April.
In August 1991, he rejoined the Wings for the 1991–1992 MISL season, then was back with the Rowdies in the summer of 1992. This season the Rowdies went to the APSL championship game before losing to the
Colorado Foxes.
By this time, the MISL had collapsed and the Wings moved to the
NPSL II. The move led to a complete revamping of their roster and Rowe was not offered a contract. He returned to England to seek a new team there, but returned to the United States after
Terry Nicholl, ex-coach of the Wings asked him to come play for the
Dayton Dynamo which Nicholl was now coaching in the NPSL.
[ NICHOLL'S THOUGHTS OF DEFENSE SUMMON VETERAN ROWE FROM LONDON Dayton Daily News (OH) – Thursday, 4 February 1993] He played only one month with Dayton before returning to England for a trial with Cambridge F.C.
[ NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL SOCCER LEAGUE FINAL OFFICIAL STATISTICS – 1992–1993 ] However, he was back with the Rowdies for the 1993 season. He was named team captain, but injures marred his season and he played only eleven games.
In 1994, he signed with the
Detroit Neon in the Continental Indoor Soccer League. He spent the 1994 and 1995 seasons in Detroit (returning to England between the seasons to play for non-league side Chertsey Town) and received offers from Peterborough United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Walsall in England, but remained committed to indoor football in the United States due to financial considerations.
Rowe moved to the Indianapolis Twisters for the 1996 season. He began the 1997 season with the Twisters before being traded in July, along with
Rich Ryerson to the
Anaheim Splash in exchange for
Paul McDonnell and a 1998 first-round draft pick.
[ Three from Splash named All-Stars The Orange County Register – Thursday, 17 July 1997] On 16 October 1997, Rowe signed a short-term contract with the Wings.
[ ROWE SIGNS ON TO HELP WINGS * SHORT-HANDED WICHITA ACQUIRES DEFENDER, THREE OTHERS FOR EARLY GAMES. Wichita Eagle, The (KS) – Thursday, 16 October 1997] He played five games, then left to play for an English team.
[ NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL SOCCER LEAGUE FINAL OFFICIAL STATISTICS – 1997–1998 ] He returned to the Wings in July 1998.
[ WINGS ADD PUNCH, LEADERSHIP. DANISH STAR CARSTEN JENSEN, FAN FAVORITE TERRY ROWE JOIN NINE RETURNEES FROM 1997–98. Wichita Eagle, The (KS) – Wednesday, 29 July 1998][ NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL SOCCER LEAGUE FINAL OFFICIAL STATISTICS – 1998–1999 ]
Coaching career
Rowe has held coaching roles at Chertsey Town and at
Peterborough youth club P&T Panthers.
Personal life
Rowe appears in the 1984
Minder episode
The Long Ride Back to Scratchwood, filmed at
Griffin Park.
External links
