George Arthur Rowley Jr. (21 April 1926 – 19 December 2002), nicknamed "The Gunner" because of his explosive left-foot shot,[1] was an English football player and cricketer.
[7] Rowley also played regularly as an amateur at Wolverhampton Wanderers as guest during the war, before turning professional with West Bromwich Albion later in the summer of 1944.
Albion sold Rowley early in the 1948–49 season to Fulham, where he immediately found his goal-scoring touch, scoring 19 goals in 22 appearances as he helped the side to the Second Division title.
There was much criticism from Leicester fans originally towards manager Norman Bullock on signing the relatively unproven Rowley as a replacement for the well-liked Jack Lee.
He then broke his own record again the following season, scoring 41 times in 42 games, 39 of these goals coming in the league, earning him the Second Division golden boot award.
However Dave Halliday decided to sell Rowley in the summer of 1958 when he was just 8 goals short of Arthur Chandler's club record for the all-time top goalscorer.
In his first season at the Gay Meadow Rowley led Shrewsbury to promotion with a haul of 38 goals in 43 games, winning the Fourth Division golden boot.
United had just been relegated to Division Two but despite good signings who would later gain the team promotion, results were disappointing and he was sacked on 6 August 1969.
[14] Rowley represented Shropshire in three Minor Counties Championship matches between 1961 and 1962 as a right-handed batsman and a leg break bowler, and played at club level for Rolls-Royce in Shrewsbury.