Gary Bowyer is an English

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 former professional footballer who played as a full back

Defender (association football)

Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....

. He is now active as a football coach.

Early and personal life

Gary Bowyer was born on 26 June 1971 in Manchester

Manchester

Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...

. His father Ian

Ian Bowyer

Ian Bowyer is a former English footballer who spent much of his career at Nottingham Forest, and was part of their European Cup victories in 1979 and 1980. He has also had spells as a coach and manager...

 was also a professional footballer.

Playing career

After playing non-League football for Westfields

Westfields F.C.

Westfields F.C. is a football team from Hereford, England, formed in 1966 and currently playing in the Midland Football Alliance. The club is affiliated to the Herefordshire County FA.-History:...

, Bowyer signed for Football League

The Football League

The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...

 team Hereford United

Hereford United F.C.

Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...

 on non-contract terms, making 14 appearances in the 1989-1990 season. After the season ended, Bowyer moved to Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest F.C.

Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...

, but he never made a senior appearance for them. Bowyer later signed for Rotherham United

Rotherham United F.C.

Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...

, making 38 appearances in the League over the next two seasons, before retiring due to injury.

Coaching career

After retiring as a player, Bowyer later became manager of non-League team Carshalton Athletic

Carshalton Athletic F.C.

Carshalton Athletic F.C. is an English football club based in Carshalton in the London Borough of Sutton, London. They currently play in the Isthmian League Premier Division, and are based at the War Memorial Sports Ground.-Early years:...

, before becoming a youth coach for Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn Rovers F.C.

Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....

.