Don Cowie (footballer)

Don Cowie

Cowie playing for Wigan Athletic in 2014
Personal information
Full name Don McCulloch Cowie[1]
Date of birth (1983-02-15) 15 February 1983[2]
Place of birth Inverness, Scotland
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[3]
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Heart of Midlothian
Number 15
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2007 Ross County 160 (17)
2007–2009 Inverness CT 59 (12)
2009–2011 Watford 88 (9)
2011–2014 Cardiff City 86 (6)
2014–2016 Wigan Athletic 37 (0)
2016– Heart of Midlothian 25 (2)
National team‡
2009– Scotland 10 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:58, 24 September 2016 (UTC).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 1 June 2016 (UTC)

Don McCulloch Cowie (born 15 February 1983) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays for Heart of Midlothian, as a midfielder. He has previously played for Ross County, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Watford, Cardiff City and Wigan Athletic. Cowie has also made ten international appearances for the Scotland national football team.

Club career

Ross County

Born in Inverness,[2] Cowie attended Dingwall Academy and came up through Ross County's youth system and went on to captain the club. His father was also a footballer for Ross County during the club's long membership of the Highland Football League. He was on the Ross County side that drew 1–1 against Clyde but beat them in a penalty shoot-out in the Challenge cup final.[4] On 30 January 2007, he signed a pre-contract agreement with Highland derby rivals Inverness and officially joined them on 1 July 2007.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle

Cowie's first season at the club proved fruitful as he abided so quickly to the Scottish Premier League (SPL). He scored his first goal for the club in a 2–1 defeat away to St Mirren. During Caley Thistle's poor start to the season Cowie proved to be an inspirational figure in the starting eleven. One of his best moments of the season came when he scored the third, and winning goal in Caley Thistle's 3–2 win over Celtic, as well as a stunning 20-yard volley in a win over Kilmarnock. He finished the season as Inverness' top scorer with nine goals and was voted Player of the Year in Caley Thistle's match program.

Watford

He was set to join Championship club Watford over the summer of 2009, as he signed a pre-contract agreement with the club on 29 January 2009. Despite this agreement, Inverness and Watford agreed a fee and he moved on transfer deadline day for a nominal fee on 2 February.[5] He made his debut for on 14 February, in the FA Cup fifth-round tie against Chelsea, appearing as a 67th-minute substitute for Lee Williamson.[6] In the following game, he made his league debut in a 2–0 home victory against Swansea City on 17 February.[7]

He scored his first goal for Watford against Crystal Palace, in a league game on 28 February 2009.[8] On 7 December 2009, Cowie became the man who has the distinction of assisting Lloyd Doyley's first ever goal for Watford, he then himself went on to score in the same game, ending in a 3–1 victory against Queens Park Rangers.[9]

Cardiff City

Cowie playing for Cardiff City in 2011

On 1 July 2011, Cowie signed for Cardiff City on a three-year contract, following newly appointed Cardiff manager Malky Mackay to Wales having been convinced not to sign an improved contract at Watford so Cardiff would not have to pay for the transfer.[10] He made his debut for the club away at West Ham United in a shock 1–0 win on the opening day of the Championship season. Cowie scored his first and second goals for the Bluebirds in a 5–3 win over Huddersfield Town in the League Cup.[11] He scored his first league goal of the season in a 1–1 draw with Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.[12] Cowie scored two more goals in two goal fests which included a 4–3 loss at Peterborough United and a 5–3 victory against Barnsley at Cardiff City Stadium. He made his 400th career appearance in a 1–0 win over Crystal Palace in the League Cup, a tie which saw Cardiff reach their first-ever final in the competition. Cowie played the entirety of the Wembley final against Premier League Liverpool, but after a 2-2 draw following extra time, the Reds won the final 3-2 on penalties, a shootout in which Cowie took and converted Cardiff's second penalty.

Cowie opened his goal account for the 2012–13 season on 22 September against Crystal Palace. Cowie scored two goals and made twenty-five appearances in a season in which Cardiff won the Championship title, securing promotion to the Premier League. The club was relegated from the Premier League after its first season in the top flight. Cowie was offered a new contract by manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer,[13] but he decided to leave the club.[14]

Wigan

Cowie signed for Wigan Athletic on a two-year contract in July 2014.[15]

Hearts

Cowie became the first signing of Scottish Premiership side Hearts during the 2015–16 winter transfer window, signing a two-a-half-year deal with the Tynecastle club.[16]

International career

On 7 October 2009, Cowie was called up to the Scotland squad for the first time.[17] He made his debut in the match, a 2–0 defeat against Japan, on 10 October. Cowie started in his second game for Scotland in a friendly against Wales at the new home of Cardiff City. His first competitive start for Scotland came against Lithuania on 6 September 2011 in the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier.[18]

Personal life

Cowie is a member of a footballing family: his wife, Shelley, previously played football for Glasgow City F.C. and the Scottish national team, but gave up in order to start a family. Her twin sister, Suzanne Grant, currently plays for Celtic Ladies and the Scottish national team. Suzanne is engaged to former Dundee United and Hamilton Academical and current Pollok star, David Winters.[19]

Career statistics

As of 9 April 2015
Club PerformanceLeagueDomestic CupLeague CupContentialOtherTotal
SeasonClubLeagueAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
ScotlandLeagueScottish CupLeague CupEuropeOtherTotal
2000–01Ross CountyDivision 1100000000010
2001–021801020—30240
2002–033921030—20452
2003–042201021—20271
2004–053453020—41436
2005–063043000—00334
2006–072671022—30329
2000–07Ross County Total159181001130014119422
2007–08Inverness CTPremier League3791030——419
2008–092131030——243
2007–09Inverness CT Total58122060——6512
EnglandLeagueFA CupLeague CupEuropeOtherTotal
2008–09WatfordChampionship1031000——113
2009–104121020——442
2010–113740020——394
2009–11Watford Total8892040——949
2011–12Cardiff CityChampionship4340073—20527
2012–132520000——252
2013–14Premier League1401020——170
2011–2014Cardiff City Total8261093—20949
2014–15Wigan AthleticChampionship3201000——330
2015–16League One500000—2070
2014-2016Wigan Athletic Total37010000020400
2015–16Heart of MidlothianPremiership10020000000120
2016–1715200102000192
2016-Hearts Total25220102000302
Career Total449471803162018146754

Honours

Ross County

Cardiff City

References

  1. ↑ "Professional retain list & free transfers 2012/13" (PDF). The Football League. 18 May 2013. p. 11. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  2. 1 2 Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2010). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11. Mainstream Publishing. p. 98. ISBN 978-1-84596-601-0.
  3. ↑ "Profiles: Don Cowie". Cardiff City F.C. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
  4. ↑ "Challenge Cup seems small fry now for dazed Don Cowie". Scotsman. 14 May 2010. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
  5. ↑ http://www.watfordfc.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10400~1542036,00.html
  6. ↑ "Watford 1–3 Chelsea". BBC News. 14 February 2009. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
  7. ↑ "Watford 2–0 Swansea". BBC News. 17 February 2009. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
  8. ↑ "Watford vs Crystal Palace". Watford Football Club. 28 February 2009. Retrieved 18 September 2010.
  9. ↑ "Watford 3–1 QPR". BBC Sport. 7 December 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-07.
  10. ↑ "Don Cowie signs for Bluebirds". 1 July 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
  11. ↑ "Cardiff 5 – 3 Huddersfield". BBC Sport. 23 August 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-23.
  12. ↑ "Blackpool 1 – 1 Cardiff". BBC Sport. 17 September 2011. Retrieved 2011-09-17.
  13. ↑ Don Cowie: Cardiff City offer Scottish midfielder fresh contract, BBC Sport.
  14. ↑ Cardiff City: Scotland international Don Cowie leaves the Bluebirds, BBC Sport.
  15. ↑ Don Cowie: Wigan Athletic sign former Cardiff City midfielder, BBC Sport
  16. ↑ "Don's a Jambo". heartsfc.co.uk. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  17. ↑ A Scotland team in name only, The Scotsman
  18. ↑ "Bannan and Cowie to start against Lithuania". BBC Sport. 6 September 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
  19. ↑ "Lure of Arsenal favours Grant in football couple's tug of love". The Scotsman. Johnston Publishing. 12 May 2009. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
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