# Ian Towers > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ian_Towers > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ian_Towers.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Towers > Source revision: 1352171630 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|English footballer and manager}} {{use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Ian Towers | fullname = Ian Joseph Towers{{cite book | editor-last = Hugman | editor-first = Barry J. | title = The PFA Premier & Football League Players' Records 1946–2005 | year = 2005 | publisher = Queen Anne Press | location = Harpenden | isbn = 978-1-85291-665-7}} | birth_date = {{birth date|1940|10|11|df=y}} | birth_place = [Consett](/source/Consett), England | death_date = {{death date and age|2015|1|25|1940|10|11|df=y}} | death_place = [Cape Town](/source/Cape_Town), South Africa | position = [Forward](/source/Forward_(association_football)) | youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–1957 | youthclubs1 = [Burnley](/source/Burnley_F.C.) | years1 = 1957–1966 | clubs1 = [Burnley](/source/Burnley_F.C.) | caps1 = 44 | goals1 = 12 | years2 = 1966–1968 | clubs2 = [Oldham Athletic](/source/Oldham_Athletic_A.F.C.) | caps2 = 95 | goals2 = 45 | years3 = 1968–1970 | clubs3 = [Bury](/source/Bury_F.C.) | caps3 = 49 | goals3 = 7 | years4 = 1971–1972 | clubs4 = [Cape Town City](/source/Cape_Town_City_F.C._(NFL)) | caps4 = | goals4 = | years5 = | clubs5 = [Hellenic](/source/Hellenic_F.C.) | caps5 = | goals5 = | totalcaps = 188 | totalgoals = 64 | manageryears1 = 1977 | managerclubs1 = Glenville | manageryears2 = 1978 | managerclubs2 = Greenpoint | manageryears3 = 1979–1981 | managerclubs3 = Bellville City | manageryears4 = 1982–1985 | managerclubs4 = [Hellenic](/source/Hellenic_F.C.) | manageryears5 = 1985–1992 | managerclubs5 = Bellville City }} '''Ian Joseph Towers''' (11 October 1940 – 25 January 2015) was an English professional [footballer](/source/Association_football) who played as a [forward](/source/Forward_(association_football)) in [the Football League](/source/the_Football_League) for [Burnley](/source/Burnley_F.C.), [Oldham Athletic](/source/Oldham_Athletic_A.F.C.) and [Bury](/source/Bury_F.C.) and in South Africa for [Cape Town City](/source/Cape_Town_City_F.C._(NFL)) and [Hellenic](/source/Hellenic_F.C.). He also went on to manage in South Africa with Glenville, Greenpoint, Bellville City and [Hellenic](/source/Hellenic_F.C.).{{cite news | title = Burnley's first substitute Ian Towers passes away | url = http://www.clarets-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/burnleys_first_substitute_ian_towers_passes_away_852402/index.shtml | publisher = Clarets-mad | date = 25 January 2015 | accessdate = 7 February 2015}} ==Career== Born in Blackhill, [Consett](/source/Consett), [County Durham](/source/County_Durham), Towers started his career with [Burnley](/source/Burnley_F.C.) joining the club as a schoolboy before signing professional terms with the club in October 1957.{{cite news | title = Ian Towers 1940–2015 | url = http://www.burnleyfootballclub.com/news/article/ian-towers-1940-2015-2226373.aspx | publisher = Burnley F.C. | date = 26 January 2015 | accessdate = 7 February 2015 | archive-date = 3 March 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160303215435/http://www.burnleyfootballclub.com/news/article/ian-towers-1940-2015-2226373.aspx | url-status = dead }} He made his debut for the club in April 1961 in a 1–0 win over [Birmingham City](/source/Birmingham_City_F.C.), and went on to make ten appearances in the 1961–62 season. He played in the last five of seven games of the season but was left out of the [1962 FA Cup Final](/source/1962_FA_Cup_Final) defeat to [Tottenham Hotspur](/source/Tottenham_Hotspur_F.C.), being named as twelfth man. He started to break into the side during the 1964–65 season, playing in half of the games on the left wing, competing for places with [Ralph Coates](/source/Ralph_Coates) and [Johnny Price](/source/Johnny_Price). The 1965–66 season saw the introduction of substitutes in English football, and Towers made history becoming Burnley's first substitute when he replaced [Willie Irvine](/source/Willie_Irvine) in a 2–2 draw against [Arsenal](/source/Arsenal_F.C.) in August 1965. His final game for the club came in September 1965, in a 4–0 win over [Doncaster Rovers](/source/Doncaster_Rovers_F.C.) at [Belle Vue](/source/Belle_Vue_(Doncaster)). In total he made 51 appearances for the Clarets scoring 14 goals in all competitions. In January 1966 he moved to [Football League Third Division](/source/Football_League_Third_Division) side [Oldham Athletic](/source/Oldham_Athletic_A.F.C.) for £20,000. He made his debut for the club in a 1–0 defeat to [Shrewsbury Town](/source/Shrewsbury_Town_F.C.) and went on to score a brace in his next game against [Oxford United](/source/Oxford_United_F.C.).{{cite news | title = Ian Towers: 1940–2015 | url = http://www.oldhamathletic.co.uk/news/article/ian-towers-1940-2015-2226924.aspx | publisher = Oldham Athletic A.F.C. | date = 26 January 2015 | accessdate = 7 February 2015}} In his second season for the club he played in every league game, scoring 27 goals to keep Oldham in the Third Division. He made a total of 95 league appearances for Oldham scoring 45 goals before he joined [Football League Second Division](/source/Football_League_Second_Division) side [Bury](/source/Bury_F.C.) in 1968.{{cite news | title = Ian Towers | url = http://mobile.buryfc.co.uk/news/article/ian-towers-2228956.aspx | publisher = Bury F.C. | date = 27 January 2015 | accessdate = 7 February 2015 | archive-date = 7 February 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150207161655/http://mobile.buryfc.co.uk/news/article/ian-towers-2228956.aspx | url-status = dead }} He couldn't stop Bury from getting relegated in his first season with the club, but he went on to make 52 appearances for the Shakers, scoring 7 goals before emigrating to South Africa in 1970. In 1971, he signed for [National Football League](/source/National_Football_League_(South_Africa)) side [Cape Town City](/source/Cape_Town_City_F.C._(NFL)), where he went to play two seasons later joining [Hellenic](/source/Hellenic_F.C.) before his career was cut short by injury. In 1973, he was appointed assistant manager at Cape Town City, where he held that position for two years. He managed South African sides Glenville, Greenpoint, Bellville City and [Hellenic](/source/Hellenic_F.C.) between 1977 and 1992, and was later youth coach and scout for many years at [Seven Stars](/source/Seven_Stars_(South_Africa)) and [Ajax Cape Town](/source/Ajax_Cape_Town_F.C.).{{cite news | title = RIP Ian Towers | url = http://www.kickoff.com/news/52211/rest-in-peace-ian-towers | publisher = Kick Off | date = 26 January 2015 | accessdate = 7 February 2015}} ==Death== Towers died on 25 January 2015 at the age of 74, in [Cape Town](/source/Cape_Town), South Africa, leaving behind his wife Pat and their two sons and daughters.{{cite news | title = Ex-Claret Ian Towers dies | url = http://www.pendletoday.co.uk/news/local/ex-claret-ian-towers-dies-1-7071177 | publisher = Pendle Today | date = 26 January 2015 | accessdate = 7 February 2015}} ==References== {{reflist}} ==Sources== *{{NeilBrownPlayers|player/iantowers}}. Retrieved 26 January 2015. {{DEFAULTSORT:Towers, Ian}} Category:1940 births Category:2015 deaths Category:Footballers from Consett Category:English men's footballers Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Burnley F.C. players Category:Bury F.C. players Category:Oldham Athletic A.F.C. players Category:English Football League players Category:Cape Town City F.C. (1960) players Category:Hellenic F.C. players Category:National Football League (South Africa) players Category:20th-century English sportsmen --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ian Towers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Towers) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Towers?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.