A free scoring, strong and sturdy 5'8" centre-forward, Bowen began his football career as an amateur with Goldthorpe United, before spells with two other neighbouring sides, Mexborough and Wath Athletic in the Midland League.
[1] His goalscoring record impressed Arsenal enough to sign him for £500 in February 1926, arriving late to the professional game at 22 years old.
The 1930–31 season included two hat-tricks before Christmas, against Brentford at Griffin Park and his first at home, against Swindon Town.
Towards the end of the 1933–34 season, Bowen was dropped to the reserves after only scoring 5 goals in 18 appearances and according to the Western Daily Press, he had been placed on the transfer list.
[1] No offers arrived and in September he sustained a serious knee injury playing for the reserves against Portsmouth and a cartilage operation followed which effectively ended his career.