Gordon Sidney Cowans (born 27 October 1958) is an English retired football player and coach.

According to former Aston Villa team-mate Derek Mountfield, Cowans was the best two-footed player he ever played with, capable of tough tackling and making spectacular assists.

On 18 August 1983 Cowans suffered a double fracture of the right leg during a pre-season friendly in Zaragoza Spain against Mexican side FC America and missed the whole 1983–84 season; upon regaining full fitness he was sold to Bari in 1985 for a fee of £250,000.

He helped them gain promotion to the new FA Premier League as Second Division play-off winners at Wembley.

[4] Cowans was one of the first signings that new Sheffield United boss Howard Kendall made after replacing Dave Bassett in late 1995.

Cowans was a key part of the side as it rose clear from the relegation zone, and of the passing style that Kendall introduced to the club.

Cowans played 21 times for Sheffield United, and was surprisingly not given an extended deal by Kendall, instead leaving the club in summer 1996.

With the departure of Houllier, the Villa hierarchy let it be known that both Cowans and Kevin MacDonald would have futures at the club no matter who the new manager was.

[6] In April 2014 Aston Villa suspended Ian Culverhouse, their assistant manager and Gary Karsa, the head of football operations pending an internal investigation.