MY MOMENT: Non-league warhorse, Bowsa, continues to rack up the miles, both on and off the pitch

Currently assistant manager to Mark Convery at Northern League First Division outfit, Whickham, non-league’s near thirty year veteran, Steven ‘Bowsa’ Bowey has seen and done quite a bit since those early days.

Locally, at a higher level, there’s been spells at Gateshead and York City, the former providing some special memories in front of the famed Heed Army, but its north o’ the border at Queen of the South where the County Durham bulldog boasts special moments.

“I was in the Army when I joined Bristol Rovers,” began Bowsa.

“They bought me out having served for a little over four years and it made me who I am today (the Army not Rovers).

“The ethics, and the discipline, and I still keep in touch with them to do this day.”

Following two seasons in Bristol, Bowsa returned north and put in a significant shift at Gateshead, the first of two spells with the Tyneside club, racking up over two hundred appearances in five years (1997-2002).

In a bizarre twist Bowsa left Tyneside, for bonny Scotland and four years at Queen of the South (2002-06) where he became a fans favourite.

“I had some great times whilst at Gateshead but the greatest was at Queen of the South,” explained Bowsa.

“At the Heed we had that first season in the Conference that was memorable, as was being captain and winning the play-offs, some fond memories.

“However, at QoS, my most memorable moment has to be winning the Bells Scottish Challenge Cup (celebrating in main picture, in 2003 against Brechin City).

“We had the legendary Andy Goram in goal and it was a big final with a great crows, and the celebrations, they were amazing.

“Goram, or ‘The Goalie’ is as well-known off the pitch as he is on it; I’ll always remember the days of him sitting and downing bottles of Smirnoff Ice, more than the rest of us, combined.

“I collected loads of Player of the Year awards as well, at both Gateshead and QoS and a number of promotions including afterwards at York, then at Newcastle Blue Star.”

(Above, Bowsa celebrating at Queen of the South, and below, in typical terrier-mode for the Heed)

An enigma in north-east non-league football, and currently residing in the Northern Alliance Premier Division, Blue Star were formed in 10930 and appeared in the Wearside League in the seventies, winning the FA Vase later that decade.

Between 1985 and 2007 they played in the Northern League before joining the Northern Premier League Division One North; the 2008-09 campaign would see Bowsa achieve his proudest moment.

“As player-manager at Blue Star that season, we won promotion,” he continued.

“We finished third in the league, won the play-offs (4-1 over Curzon Ashton) and were promoted to the Premier Division.

“Then things went pear shaped in the June and the club suddenly folded and it destroyed me.”

Since then he helped Newcastle Benfield reach the quarter-finals of the Vase as player-manager, and enjoy spells at Dunston UTS, Bedlington Terriers, and Ashington (pictured below), recently joining the dream at Whickham.

“I have ambitions, we all do, and I’d love to manage at a higher level,” he adds.

“My sole focus now though is Whickham, that’s where my concentration, more after the disappointment of the way the season (2019-20) has ended.”

(Sports content sponsored by Waves Holistics North East, wellbeing and team development, with a little laughter, across the region)