Barrow AFC v Eastleigh FC

[Steelworks End]

Is there any reason you think Evatt wouldn't like him? I can't think of any. Incredibly strong and almost impossible to knock off the ball, good at holding the ball and bringing other players into the game, excellent on the ground and in the air plus scores lots of goals. What's not to like? One of the very best strikers I ever saw play for Barrow not just in non-league but even including when we were in the league.

The only thing that would keep a young Cowps out of the current Barrow side is if a better player was available - and I don't see too many of those around at National League level. His records for appearances and goals will stand for a very, very long time, as "god" himself will in the memories of the supporters who were fortunate enough to see him play.

And all this despite being a local lad!

[Wintergreen]

Is there any reason you think Evatt wouldn't like him? I can't think of any. Incredibly strong and almost impossible to knock off the ball, good at holding the ball and bringing other players into the game, excellent on the ground and in the air plus scores lots of goals. What's not to like? One of the very best strikers I ever saw play for Barrow not just in non-league but even including when we were in the league.

The only thing that would keep a young Cowps out of the current Barrow side is if a better player was available - and I don't see too many of those around at National League level. His records for appearances and goals will stand for a very, very long time, as "god" himself will in the memories of the supporters who were fortunate enough to see him play.

And all this despite being a local lad!

Couldn’t agree more gents, however when he trialed at FL clubs apparently they said he lacked pace, and there’s the rub. So Everton’s loss was most definitely our gain. “All he can do is score goals” as my Uncle Harry once observed with a degree of disapproval - still trying to work that one out decades later.

[pjdaly]

It's true – and very obvious to anyone who saw him play – that Cowps lacked any sort of pace. When it came to running he was slow.

His right foot was weak and he couldn't even flick marmalade with it.

In the air, it was too often the case that when the ball was played long upfield to him he would mistime his jump and would be coming back down just as the ball arrived.

So . . . would he get in an Evatt side? Yes, a million times over, yes . . . because Cowps was a brilliant player as well as being a loyal servant to us. I would be surprised if we are ever fortunate enough to see his like again in our Non-League time.

(Now show me a player, especially Non-League, who has no weaknesses . . . )

[boyliegladbach]

Differant eras impossible to say

[Suffolk Blue]

It's true – and very obvious to anyone who saw him play – that Cowps lacked any sort of pace. When it came to running he was slow.

His right foot was weak and he couldn't even flick marmalade with it.

In the air, it was too often the case that when the ball was played long upfield to him he would mistime his jump and would be coming back down just as the ball arrived.

So . . . would he get in an Evatt side? Yes, a million times over, yes . . . because Cowps was a brilliant player as well as being a loyal servant to us. I would be surprised if we are ever fortunate enough to see his like again in our Non-League time.

(Now show me a player, especially Non-League, who has no weaknesses . . . )

My brother-in-law played against Cowps many times and his main memory of him is his "big ar*e and his thighs that were like tree trunks". He always says that trying to dispossess Cowps especially when he was shielding the ball was like trying to out-manoeuvre a giant redwood. He also reserves other (vaguely) impressive comments for Kevin Proctor who he thought was the love child of a union between a serial killer and a pit bull. Coming from him this is just about the greatest possible compliment.

No comparison with todays marathon running, health conscious, leaf eating whippets. I guess that's what makes these guys legendary.

[BillyBlue]

The only thing that would keep a young Cowps out of the current Barrow side is if a better player was available - and I don't see too many of those around at National League level. His records for appearances and goals will stand for a very, very long time, as "god" himself will in the memories of the supporters who were fortunate enough to see him play.

And all this despite being a local lad!

Couldn’t agree more gents, however when he trialed at FL clubs apparently they said he lacked pace, and there’s the rub. So Everton’s loss was most definitely our gain. “All he can do is score goals” as my Uncle Harry once observed with a degree of disapproval - still trying to work that one out decades later.

When Cowps first came to the club he was slim and had a real turn of pace. He seemed to fill out bit by bit as the years went on and his playing style changed. Really good at holding the ball up but you should have seen the colour of his calves, kicked black and blue most weeks

[russell_anderson]

The only thing that would keep a young Cowps out of the current Barrow side is if a better player was available - and I don't see too many of those around at National League level. His records for appearances and goals will stand for a very, very long time, as "god" himself will in the memories of the supporters who were fortunate enough to see him play.

And all this despite being a local lad!

Couldn’t agree more gents, however when he trialed at FL clubs apparently they said he lacked pace, and there’s the rub. So Everton’s loss was most definitely our gain. “All he can do is score goals” as my Uncle Harry once observed with a degree of disapproval - still trying to work that one out decades later.

That's interesting as I was never aware that he had trialed at FL clubs. I'd always heard that he was a home lad who didn't want to leave Cartmel. Of course, in those days there wasn't the big money around for footballers as there is these days.

[Steelworks End]

I seem to recall Cowps being offered a trial at Chelsea, but that would have involved him going full time and he didn't want to give up his day job.

And not many London pubs sell mild!

[SKIPPER]

Didn't he spend a week at Shrewsbury ?

[Wintergreen]

I seem to think he may have gone to trial at Everton with Jon Balm; or maybe not - long time ago now. Nevertheless if the soccer were to have a statue of a legend at the ground as the rugby do, it would have to be Cowps. The man responsible for most of the greatest goats ever seen at the old place.

[barrowfan]

The man responsible for most of the greatest goats ever seen at the old place.

The mind boggles!

[SKIPPER]

I seem to think he may have gone to trial at Everton with Jon Balm; or maybe not - long time ago now. Nevertheless if the soccer were to have a statue of a legend at the ground as the rugby do, it would have to be Cowps. The man responsible for most of the greatest goats ever seen at the old place.

Think that might have been his KID brother !