McDowell's early career was spent in Scotland, where he was a coach with Morton, before becoming manager of Icelandic club IBV.
[1] McDowell then moved to FH,[2] and also took charge of the Icelandic national team for four matches between May and July 1972.
[3][4] McDowell then went back to Scotland to become assistant to Eric Smith at Hamilton Academical, before returning to IBV in Iceland.
[1] McDowell later spent time in the United States and Canada, before taking charge of Hong Kong club Caroline Hill in 1975.
[5] After spending time in Canada and Scotland, McDowell joined the Missionaries of Charity in London in the late 1980s.