Bowker, Keith
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Biographical Text
Originally joining the club from Birmingham City in 1973, Keith Bowker made 212 league appearances (66 goals) for Exeter City split almost evenly either side of a short spell with Cambridge United. He later appeared for Torquay United ahead of playing and managing in Westcountry non-league football.
Keith started his career at Birmingham City as an apprentice and featured in the team that reached the final of the FA Youth Cup. He became a full professional with Birmingham (then a top-tier side) in August 1968. Reaching first team level, Keith made 21 league appearances scoring five goals.
Arriving at St James’ Park on the same day as Peter Hatch in December 1973, Keith made his Grecians debut in front of just 693 spectators at Workington. Staying until May 1976, he netted 38 league goals in 110 appearances before signing for Cambridge United for a fee of £10,000. After a short spell on loan with Northampton, Keith returned to Exeter City in August 1977 and was to score another 28 times in a further 102 league outings for the Grecians.
His final Football League club was Torquay United, whom he joined in August 1980, where he featured in 53 league matches scoring nine goals. Keith then turned out for Bideford before becoming manager of Taunton Town until 1993 whiltst also working for the Royal Mail in Exeter.
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203
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Comments
Nick House
Having watched Keith Bowker for both Exeter and Torquay, he was manager of Taunton Town when I moved to the town in the late 1980s. Pipping Liskeard to the Western League title in 1990 seems a modest achievement these days but it was big news at the time and the start of something much bigger at Wordsworth Drive as the rivalry with Tiverton Town kicked in followed by the FA Vase win and promotion to the Southern League. Keith wasn't around for all this but played a big part in lifting the club and setting it on the right pathway.