{{short description|Scottish footballer and coach}} {{for|the Wisconsin state legislator|George Cowie (politician)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox football biography |name = George Cowie |image = |caption = |fullname = Alexander George Cowie<ref>{{Hugman|4218|accessdate=5 April 2017}}</ref> |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|5|9|df=y}} |birth_place = Buckie, Scotland |height = |position = Full back |youthyears1 = 1977–1982 |youthclubs1 = West Ham United |years1 = 1982–1983 |clubs1 = West Ham United |caps1 = 8 |goals1 = 0 |years2 = 1983–1987 |clubs2 = Heart of Midlothian |caps2 = 68 |goals2 = 2 |years3 = 1986–1987 |clubs3 = → Morton (loan) |caps3 = 3 |goals3 = 2 |years4 = 1987–1988 |clubs4 = Dunfermline Athletic |caps4 = 14 |goals4 = 0 |years5 = 1988–1989 |clubs5 = Deveronvale |caps5 = |goals5 = |years6 = 1989–1991 |clubs6 = Morton |caps6 = 24 |goals6 = 0 |years7 = 1991 |clubs7 = Forres Mechanics |caps7 = |goals7 = |totalcaps = 117 |totalgoals = 4 |manageryears1 = |managerclubs1 = Papua New Guinea U23 |manageryears2 = |managerclubs2 = Solomon Islands | medaltemplates = {{medalSport|Men's football}} {{Medal|Country|{{fb|SOL}}}} <small>(as manager)</small> {{MedalComp|OFC Nations Cup}} {{Medal|3rd|2000 Tahiti|}} }} '''Alexander George Cowie''' (born 9 May 1961) is a Scottish former professional football player and coach.
==Career== Born in Buckie, Cowie joined West Ham United as an apprentice in 1977, turning professional in 1978.<ref name = "Academy">{{cite web|url=http://www.westhamacademyinternational.com/Bios.html|title=Bios|accessdate=7 May 2012|publisher=West Ham United International Academy}}</ref> He made his senior debut on 13 April 1982, in a Division 1 match against Ipswich Town coming on as a substitute for Jimmy Neighbour.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.westhamstats.info/westham.php?west=2&ham=155&united=George_Cowie|title=Profile|accessdate=7 May 2012|publisher=West Ham Stats}}</ref> He later played for Heart of Midlothian, Morton, Dunfermline Athletic, Deveronvale and Forres Mechanics, both latter clubs play in the Scottish Highland Football League.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player/georgecowie.html|title=Profile|accessdate=7 May 2012|publisher=Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database}}</ref>
After retiring as a player, Cowie was active as a coach in Oceania, where he served as manager of the Papua New Guinea national under-23 team and the Solomon Islands national team.<ref name = "Academy"/>
After relocating to Queensland, Australia he coached Brisbane club, Wynnum Wolves to win the Queensland Cup, their first major trophy in 77 years. He also coached Sunshine Coast FC to a Premiership Double and was voted "Queensland Coach of the Year" in 2008. He holds a UEFA A License as a qualified coach and has worked as coach instructor for Football Federation Australia and as a technical manager of Football Queensland.<ref>{{cite web | title=About | website=George Cowie Football | date=15 March 2023 | url=https://georgecowiefootball.com.au/about/ | access-date=12 July 2023}}</ref>
Cowie operates "''George Cowie Football''" based in Queensland which provides coaching and training camps for aspiring footballers across Australia and works in conjunction with English Premier League club, West Ham United.<ref>{{cite web | title=Foundation promotes West Ham Way Down Under with George Cowie Football | website=West Ham United F.C. | url=http://www.whufc.com/news/foundation-promotes-west-ham-way-down-under-george-cowie-football | access-date=12 July 2023}}</ref>
==Honours==
===Player=== ''' Heart of Midlothian''' * Scottish Cup runner-up: 1985–86<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.afc.co.uk/news/7249.php#.VznMXYW_rDc|title=Latest News – the Official Home of Aberdeen Football Club|access-date=16 May 2016|archive-date=8 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160108070707/http://www.afc.co.uk/news/7249.php#.VznMXYW_rDc|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===Manager=== '''Solomon Islands''' *OFC Nations Cup: 3rd place 2000<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/00oc.html|title=Oceania Nations Cup 2000|access-date=13 July 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Navboxes | title = Solomon Islands squads | bg = #215B33 | fg = #FCD116 | bordercolor = #0051BA | list = {{Solomon Islands squad 2000 OFC Nations Cup}} {{Solomon Islands squad 2002 OFC Nations Cup}} }} {{Solomon Islands national football team managers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cowie, George}} Category:1961 births Category:Living people Category:Scottish men's footballers Category:Scottish football managers Category:West Ham United F.C. players Category:Heart of Midlothian F.C. players Category:Greenock Morton F.C. players Category:Dunfermline Athletic F.C. players Category:Deveronvale F.C. players Category:Forres Mechanics F.C. players Category:English Football League players Category:Scottish Football League players Category:Scottish expatriate football managers Category:People from Buckie Category:Solomon Islands national football team managers Category:Men's association football defenders Category:Footballers from Moray Category:Expatriate football managers in the Solomon Islands Category:Expatriate football managers in Papua New Guinea Category:Scottish football coaches Category:Scottish expatriate sportspeople in Australia Category:20th-century Scottish sportsmen
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