Keith Lowe (footballer)

Keith Stephen Lowe (born 13 September 1985) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre back for National League North side Kidderminster Harriers.

Keith Lowe
Lowe playing for York City in 2014
Personal information
Full name Keith Stephen Lowe[1]
Date of birth (1985-09-13) 13 September 1985[1]
Place of birth Wolverhampton, England
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[2]
Position(s) Centre back
Club information
Current team
 Kidderminster Harriers
Youth career
0000–2004 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2008 Wolverhampton Wanderers 14 (0)
2005 → Burnley (loan) 16 (0)
2006 → Queens Park Rangers (loan) 1 (0)
2006 → Swansea City (loan) 4 (0)
2006 → Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) 0 (0)
2006 → Cheltenham Town (loan) 8 (0)
2007 → Cheltenham Town (loan) 8 (1)
2007–2008 → Port Vale (loan) 28 (3)
2008–2009 Kidderminster Harriers 43 (4)
2009–2010 Hereford United 19 (1)
2010–2014 Cheltenham Town 111 (7)
2013–2014 → York City (loan) 9 (0)
2014–2015 York City 83 (8)
2016–2017 Kidderminster Harriers 62 (6)
2017–2019 Macclesfield Town 59 (1)
2019 Nuneaton Borough 8 (0)
2019–2020 Bradford (Park Avenue) 13 (0)
2020– Kidderminster Harriers 9 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:00, 7 March 2020 (UTC)

A Wolverhampton Wanderers academy graduate, between 2005 and 2008 he was loaned out seven times: Burnley, Queens Park Rangers, Swansea City, Brighton & Hove Albion, Cheltenham Town (twice) and Port Vale. He then dropped out of the Football League to spend the 2008–09 season as a Kidderminster Harriers player. He then spent a season with Hereford United, before signing with Cheltenham Town in 2010. He was voted Cheltenham's Player of the Year in 2011. He joined League Two club York City, initially on loan, in November 2013. In January 2016, he rejoined Kidderminster Harriers, before moving on to Macclesfield Town in June 2017. He helped Macclesfield to win promotion as champions of the National League at the end of the 2017–18 season. He started the 2019–20 season at Nuneaton Borough, before moving on to Bradford (Park Avenue) in September 2019. He returned to Kidderminster Harriers again in January 2020.

Career

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Born in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, Lowe was a product of Wolverhampton Wanderers' academy, and came through to make his first-team debut on 23 August 2004, in a 4–2 win at Rochdale in the League Cup.[1][3] He signed his first professional contract in November 2004,[4] however he was unable to claim a regular first-team place at Molineux and was first loaned out to Burnley at the start of the 2005–06 season.[5] At Burnley he scored his first goal in professional football in a 3–0 League Cup win over Barnsley at Turf Moor on 20 September.[6] Following his return in December 2005, he joined Queens Park Rangers on a one-month loan in February 2006,[7] After playing just one QPR match, he had rather more success at Swansea City in March 2006,[8] playing six matches in all, and winning the Football League Trophy. Lowe played all ninety minutes of the 2006 Football League Trophy Final, as Swansea beat Carlisle United 2–1.[9]

He started 2006–07 on loan at Brighton & Hove Albion,[10] without making an appearance. A two-month loan spell with Cheltenham Town started in September 2006, they appreciated him so much that he was invited back to spend the 2007 end of the season with them.[11][12]

Lowe spent the whole of 2007–08 with Port Vale[13] and made 31 appearances[14] as the club suffered relegation out of League One in 23rd place.[15]

Kidderminster Harriers

In May 2008, Lowe was released by his parent club.[16] He subsequently signed for Conference Premier club Kidderminster Harriers[17] and played 52 matches in 2008–09 before being released due to budgetary concerns.[18][19]

Hereford United

In May 2009, he signed with League Two club Hereford United, but was released at the end of 2009–10 after making 25 appearances.[20] His only goal for the "Bulls" came in a 2–1 win over Darlington at Edgar Street on 31 October.[21]

Cheltenham Town

Lowe joined Cheltenham Town permanently in June 2010,[22] becoming the club's first choice right back before his season was prematurely ended by an ankle injury in the home defeat to Gillingham on 27 March 2011. His consistency endeared him to the Cheltenham fans who named him as their Player of the Year for 2010–11.[23] An appearance clause in his contract also ensured he would remain at the club until summer 2012.[24] He made 31 league appearances in 2011–12 to help Mark Yates' team book a place in the League Two play-off places. He was an unused substitute in the final at Wembley Stadium, as Cheltenham lost 2–0 to Crewe Alexandra.[25] On 27 October 2012, he scored two goals in a 3–0 win over Exeter City at Whaddon Road to earn himself a place on the League Two team of the week.[26]

York City
Lowe playing for York City in 2014

On 21 November 2013, Lowe joined Cheltenham's League Two rivals York City on a loan until January 2014, with a view to a permanent transfer.[27] He made his debut two days later in a 2–1 defeat away to Southend United,[28] and made nine appearances for York before signing permanently on 7 January 2014 on a two-and-a-half-year contract for an undisclosed fee.[29] The Press voted him 'Press Player of the Year' in 2013–14.[30]

Lowe played in 49 of York's 50 matches in 2014–15, missing just the one League Cup match.[31] On 23 August, he scored in a 1–1 draw at Exeter City and was named in the Football League team of the week.[32] He won a place on the team of the week for a second time after scoring a brace in a 3–1 victory at Hartlepool United on 22 November.[33] He was once again included after scoring the only goal of the game against Accrington Stanley on Boxing Day.[34] He was voted by York supporters as the club's Clubman of the Year for 2014–15.[35] Having earlier been made available for loan under new manager Jackie McNamara, Lowe left York by mutual consent on 9 December 2015.[36]

Return to Kidderminster Harriers

On 12 January 2016, Lowe rejoined Kidderminster Harriers, now bottom of the National League, until the end of 2015–16.[37] He made his debut when starting their 1–0 home defeat to Guiseley on 23 January 2016.[38] He scored two goals in 20 appearances[38] as Kidderminster were relegated in 23rd place.[39] Whilst considering whether to accept Kidderminster's new contract offer or to play higher-level football, Lowe said it was "a choice between my head and my heart", implying his heart lay at Aggborough Stadium.[40] He decided to remain with Kidderminster in part due to his reverence for manager John Eustace, signing a new contract in June 2016,[41] and was named as club captain in August.[42] Lowe scored five goals in 51 appearances in 2016–17,[38] helping Kidderminster to a second-place finish before they suffered defeat in the play-off semi-final to sixth-place Chorley.[43] He was named in the 2016–17 National League North Team of the Year, alongside teammates Zaine Francis-Angol and James McQuilkin.[44] In June 2017, Lowe was told he could leave Kidderminster on a free transfer, but remained under contract at the club.[45]

Later career

Lowe signed a one-year contract with National League club Macclesfield Town on 29 June 2017.[46] He played every minute of Macclesfield's 46 league matches during the 2017–18 season[38] as the club earned promotion back to League Two as champions of the National League.[47] Manager John Askey left the club after this success, but his replacement, Mark Yates, had coached Lowe at Cheltenham and Kidderminster, and offered him a new one-year contract.[48] However he featured only 17 times in the 2018–19 campaign, playing only two games after Sol Campbell took charge in December.[49] He left Moss Rose after being released in the summer.[50] Lowe went on to become one of six players – the others being Shamir Mullings, Elliott Durrell, Rhys Taylor, Jamie Grimes and Ryan Lloyd – to issue the club with a winding-up petition over unpaid wages.[51]

On 25 July 2019, Lowe joined Nuneaton Borough in the Southern League Premier Division Central.[52] He was released by the "Boro" after just two months however, on 22 September.[53] Two days after leaving Liberty Way, he signed with National League North side Bradford (Park Avenue).[54] He served the club as captain and saw an upturn in form under new manager Mark Bower, before he rejoined Kidderminster Harriers for a third spell on 4 January 2020.[55] He scored one goal in nine appearances for the Harriers in the 2019–20 season, which was permanently suspended on 26 March due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, with Kidderminster in 16th-place.[56] In May 2020, he agreed a new contract to keep him at Kidderminster.[57]

Style of play

Lowe is renowned for his clean play.[58] In the first 167 appearances of his career the defender received just one yellow card – given to him on 17 March 2006 whilst with Swansea. However, he picked up two further bookings in 2010–11.[59]

Career statistics
As of match played 7 March 2020
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2004–05[3] Championship 1100020—130
2005–06[60] Championship 300000—30
2006–07[61] Championship 00——0000
2007–08[14] Championship 00———00
Total 140002000160
Burnley (loan) 2005–06[60] Championship 160—21—181
Queens Park Rangers (loan) 2005–06[60] Championship 10———10
Swansea City (loan) 2005–06[60] League One 40——2[lower-alpha 1]060
Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) 2006–07[61] League One 00—00—00
Cheltenham Town (loan) 2006–07[61] League One 16100101[lower-alpha 1]0181
Port Vale (loan) 2007–08[14] League One 283201000313
Kidderminster Harriers 2008–09[18] Conference Premier 43440—5[lower-alpha 2]0524
Hereford United 2009–10[62] League Two 19120103[lower-alpha 1]0251
Cheltenham Town 2010–11[59] League Two 36120101[lower-alpha 1]0401
2011–12[63] League Two 31120105[lower-alpha 3]0391
2012–13[64] League Two 31420103[lower-alpha 4]1375
2013–14[28] League Two 13110201[lower-alpha 1]0171
Total 111770501011338
York City 2013–14[28] League Two 301——2[lower-alpha 5]0321
2014–15[31] League Two 46620001[lower-alpha 1]0496
2015–16[65] League Two 16110201[lower-alpha 1]0201
Total 9283020401018
Kidderminster Harriers 2015–16[38] National League 202———202
2016–17[38][66] National League North 42440—5[lower-alpha 6]1515
Total 62640—51717
Macclesfield Town 2017–18[38] National League 46120—1[lower-alpha 7]0491
2018–19[67] League Two 13000103[lower-alpha 8]0170
Total 591201040661
Nuneaton Borough 2019–20[68] Southern League Premier Division Central 8010—0090
Bradford (Park Avenue) 2019–20[38] National League North 13000—2[lower-alpha 7]1151
Kidderminster Harriers 2019–20[38] National League North 9100—0091
2020–21[38] National League North 0000—0000
Total 9100000091
Career total 4953225015136357135
  1. Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy
  2. One appearance in Conference League Cup, four in FA Trophy
  3. Three appearances in Football League Trophy, two in League Two play-offs
  4. One appearance and one goal in Football League Trophy, two appearances in League Two play-offs
  5. Appearances in League Two play-offs
  6. Three appearances and one goal in FA Trophy, two appearances in National League North play-offs
  7. Appearance(s) and goal(s) in FA Trophy
  8. Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy

Honours

Swansea City

Macclesfield Town

Individual

References
  1. Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2010). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. p. 258. ISBN 978-1-84596-601-0.
  2. "Keith Lowe". Macclesfield Town F.C. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  3. "Games played by Keith Lowe in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  4. "Lowe signs pro contract at Wolves". BBC Sport. 23 November 2004. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  5. "Burnley snap up Spicer and Lowe". BBC Sport. 26 August 2005. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  6. "Burnley 3–0 Barnsley". BBC Sport. 20 September 2005. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  7. "QPR snap up Wolves pair on loan". BBC Sport. 1 February 2006. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  8. "Swans keep Lowe for another month". BBC Sport. 6 April 2006. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  9. "Carlisle vs Swansea City". Carlisle United F.C. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012.
  10. "Lowe agrees loan deal at Brighton". BBC Sport. 31 July 2006. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  11. "Cheltenham land Lowe from Wolves". BBC Sport. 6 January 2007. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  12. "Lowe makes Cheltenham loan switch". BBC Sport. 26 October 2006. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  13. "Port Vale pull off triple swoop". BBC Sport. 8 June 2007. Retrieved 21 November 2009.
  14. "Games played by Keith Lowe in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  15. "League One: 2007/08: Latest table". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  16. "Wolves have end-of-term clear-out". BBC Sport. 9 May 2008. Retrieved 21 November 2009.
  17. "Lowe pens permanent Harriers deal". BBC Sport. 1 September 2008. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  18. Williams, Tony; Wright, James, eds. (2009). Non-League Club Directory 2010. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 110–111. ISBN 978-1-869833-66-4.
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  21. "Hereford 2–1 Darlington". Sky Sports. 31 October 2009. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
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  23. "Cheltenham Town: Lowe's delight at Supporters' award". Gloucestershire Echo. Cheltenham. 7 May 2011. Archived from the original on 4 December 2016.
  24. "Cheltenham Town trio secure contract extensions". BBC Sport. 13 January 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
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  33. Percival, Ryan (24 November 2014). "Sky Bet Football League Team of the Week". www.efl.com. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  34. Percival, Ryan; Connor, Dan (31 December 2014). "Sky Bet Football League Team of the Week". www.efl.com. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
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  50. "Silkmen Announce Retained List". www.mtfc.co.uk. 19 May 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
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  53. Keith Lowe leaves club, pitchero.com, 22 September 2019
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  66. For FA Cup second qualifying round: "Harriers 4 Tamworth 0 report". Kidderminster Shuttle. 17 September 2016. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
    For FA Cup third qualifying round: "Lancaster 2 Harriers 3 report". Kidderminster Shuttle. 1 October 2016. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
    For FA Trophy third qualifying round: "Report: Truslove double helps Harriers make FA Trophy progress". Kidderminster Shuttle. 26 November 2016. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
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  68. "Keith Lowe Profile | Aylesbury United FC". www.aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
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