Walter Rowley

Walter Rowley

Personal information
Full name	Walter James Rowley
Date of birth	14 April 1891(1891-04-14)
Place of birth	Little Hulton, England
Date of death	22 March 1976(1976-03-22) (aged 84)
Place of death	Shrewsbury, England
Playing position	Right-half
Youth career
	Farnworth Wednesday
	Walkden Wednesday
	Little Hulton Wednesday
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
	Oldham Athletic
	Bolton Wanderers
Teams managed
1944–1950	Bolton Wanderers
1952–1954	Middlesbrough
1955–1957	Shrewsbury Town
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Walter James Rowley (14 April 1891 - 22 March 1976) was an English footballer around World War I and a manager during and after World War II.

Playing career

Rowley played village football before joining Oldham Athletic of the Football League First Division. He moved on to Bolton Wanderers in 1913. During the war he played for Port Vale for two 1919 games in the war league before returning to Bolton.

Management career

Rowley became a coach with Bolton before he took over as manager at the latter end of World War II, before the League proper started, during his reign the club won the Football League North War Cup. Rowley remained as manager until 1950 but had to resign due to ill health. He was made a life member of the club for his 37 years of service as player, coach and manager.

Fully recovered he took over at Middlesbrough in 1952 but ill health again forced him to resign in March 1954. Fully fit again he returned to management at Shrewsbury Town in 1955 and remained there until 1957 before leaving the game.