Martin Rowlands

Martin Charles Rowlands (born 8 February 1979) is an English-born Irish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

Martin Rowlands
Rowlands in 2007
Personal information
Full name Martin Charles Rowlands[1]
Date of birth (1979-02-08) 8 February 1979
Place of birth Hammersmith, London, England
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1995–1997 Wycombe Wanderers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–1998 Farnborough Town 39 (7)
1998–2003 Brentford 152 (20)
2003–2012 Queens Park Rangers 198 (33)
2011Millwall (loan) 1 (0)
2011Wycombe Wanderers (loan) 10 (0)
2012 Colchester United 9 (2)
2012–2013 Leyton Orient 33 (4)
2013–2014 Aldershot Town 36 (2)
Total 478 (68)
National team
1999–2000 Republic of Ireland U21 8 (1)
2004–2009 Republic of Ireland 5 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

After starring for Heston Gaels GAA club at underage level, Rowlands started his football career at Wycombe Wanderers, but did not earn a professional contract and joined Farnborough Town in 1997 before moving to Brentford in August 1998 for a transfer fee of £45,000.[2] In five season with Brentford, he made 186 appearances in all competitions, scoring 23 goals.[2]

After suffering a broken leg, Queens Park Rangers manager Ian Holloway took a gamble on Rowlands and signed him on a free transfer from local rivals Brentford in the summer of 2003. This gamble paid off, as Rowlands scored 12 goals from midfield, helping his new side to promotion from the Second Division.[3] That season, Rowlands also showed versatility, playing right back, right midfield, left midfield and centre midfield; excelling in all positions. He won both the supporters and players' player of the year competitions.

Since then, Rowlands has suffered many injuries and has never truly recaptured his outstanding form of 2003–04. However, in 2006–07 he managed to score 10 goals from midfield.[4]

In 2007–08 he was selected captain, and was regularly among Rangers` best performers. He played 43 league games, scoring 6 goals, including a memorable brace in Rangers' 4–2 victory at Watford.[5] He won both the Supporters' Player of the Year and the Ray Jones Players' Player of the Year award. As of January 2012 Rowlands was the longest-serving member of the Queens Park Rangers squad having spent nine years at the club.

On 25 February 2011 Rowlands signed for Millwall, on an emergency one-month loan, after only playing 23 minutes of competitive football for QPR in the 2010–11 season. On 31 January 2012, Rowlands' contract with Queens Park Rangers was terminated by mutual consent. On 2 February 2012, Rowlands signed a contract with Colchester United. After a solid three months with the U's, he was released from his contract after suffering with injuries.[6] He made nine appearances and scored two goals during his time in Essex.[2]

Rowlands signed on a month-long contract with Leyton Orient on 28 August 2012, after spending several weeks training with the London club, and featuring in two pre-season friendly matches.[7]

On 22 September 2012, Rowlands scored his first Orient goal, a 20-yard volley against Crewe Alexandra at Gresty Road. The game ended 1–1.[8] After 40 appearances and four goals in all competitions,[8] he rejected a contract extension at the end of the 2012–13 season, and became a free agent.

Rowlands signed for Conference Premier side Aldershot Town for the 2013–14 season.[9]

International career

Following good displays with Queens Park Rangers, Rowlands was called up to the Republic of Ireland squad in the summer of 2004, playing two games. His good club form in season 2007/2008 and his subsequent player of the year awards with Queens Park Rangers led to Rowlands being included in Giovanni Trappatoni's first Republic of Ireland squad.

After a substitute appearance against Italy in Ireland's penultimate qualifying game for the 2010 World Cup, Rowlands was chosen to start for Ireland against Montenegro in their final group game.

On 14 October 2009, he injured his anterior cruciate ligament while playing for the Republic of Ireland against Montenegro, resulting in him being ruled out of the rest of the 2009–10 season for QPR.

Personal life

Rowlands attended Fielding Primary School in Northfields and Drayton Manor High School.[10] He has four brothers.[10]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup League Cup Other[11] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Farnborough Town 1996–97[12] Conference 50000050
1997–98[13] 3471000357
Total 3971000407
Brentford 1998–99[14] Third Division 364304031465
1999–00[15] Second Division 406202030476
2000–01[16] 322104161434
2001–02[17] 267101000287
2002–03[18] 181200020221
Total 152209011114218623
Queens Park Rangers 2003–04[3] Second Division 42101022314812
2004–05[19] Championship 3531021384
2005–06[20] 1421000152
2006–07[4] 291000002910
2007–08[5] 4461011467
2008–09[21] 2422030292
2009–10[22] 60001070
2010–11[23] 40000040
2011–12[24] Premier League 001010
Total 19833601040021437
Millwall (loan) 2010–11[23] Championship 1010
Wycombe Wanderers (loan) 2011–12[24] League One 1001000110
Colchester United 2011–12[24] League One 9292
Leyton Orient 2012–13[8] League One 334401020404
Aldershot Town 2013–14[9] Conference Premier 3622040422
Career total 4786823022520354376

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year[25]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Republic of Ireland 200430
200500
200600
200700
200800
200920
Total50

Honours

Club

Brentford

Queens Park Rangers

Individual

See also

References

  1. "Martin Rowlands". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  2. "Martin Rowlands". Soccerbase. Racing Post. Retrieved 29 March 2008.
  3. "Martin Rowlands | Football Stats | No Club | Season 2003/2004 | 1997–2014 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  4. "Martin Rowlands | Football Stats | No Club | Season 2006/2007 | 1997–2014 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  5. "Martin Rowlands | Football Stats | No Club | Season 2007–08 | 1997–2014 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  6. "Colchester United sign Martin Rowlands after QPR exit". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  7. "Os add Rowlands to squad". Leyton Orient F.C. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
  8. "Martin Rowlands | Football Stats | No Club | Season 2012/2013 | 1997–2014 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  9. "Republic of Ireland – M. Rowlands – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  10. MacInnes, Keith. "Brentford Football Club". Archived from the original on 11 August 2002. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  11. Includes other competitive competitions, including the Football League Trophy, Football League play-offs and FA Trophy
  12. "Martin Rowlands | Football Stats | No Club | Season 1996/1997 | 1997–2014 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  13. "Martin Rowlands | Football Stats | No Club | Season 1997/1998 | 1997–2014 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  14. "Martin Rowlands | Football Stats | No Club | Season 1998/1999 | 1997–2014 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  15. "Martin Rowlands | Football Stats | No Club | Season 1999/2000 | 1997–2014 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  16. "Martin Rowlands | Football Stats | No Club | Season 2000/2001 | 1997–2014 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  17. "Martin Rowlands | Football Stats | No Club | Season 2001/2002 | 1997–2014 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  18. "Martin Rowlands | Football Stats | No Club | Season 2002/2003 | 1997–2014 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  19. "Martin Rowlands | Football Stats | No Club | Season 2004/2005 | 1997–2014 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  20. "Martin Rowlands | Football Stats | No Club | Season 2005/2006 | 1997–2014 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  21. "Martin Rowlands | Football Stats | No Club | Season 2008/2009 | 1997–2014 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  22. "Martin Rowlands | Football Stats | No Club | Season 2009/2010 | 1997–2014 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  23. "Martin Rowlands | Football Stats | No Club | Season 2010/2011 | 1997–2014 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  24. "Martin Rowlands | Football Stats | No Club | Season 2011/2012 | 1997–2014 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  25. "Martin Rowlands". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  26. Croxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2011). The Big Brentford Book of the 90s. Legends Publishing. p. 445. ISBN 978-1906796716.
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