William Cowan (1923/24 to 1925/26)

Inside-right William Cowan was born in Edinburgh and was a member of the Tranent Juniors, with whom he made his name. He then moved to Dundee.

Cowan spent 2½ seasons at Dundee where he played several good games and performed so well in the League International trial at Glasgow in the spring of 1923 that he got his place for the League team against England. Unfortunately, previous to the match, he sustained an injury that prevented him accepting his cap.

Cowan had been signed by Dundee for the 1923/24 season, but with the proviso on his part, however, that he would be transferred if circumstances came that way. Thus he joined United in July 1923, a move which was by no means popular with the patrons of Dens Park.

From the start, he Scot struggled for pace and he was given special speed training. But illness meant he continued to struggle to fulfil his Dundee promise and he was soon dropped. The club gave him leave to return to Scotland for the purpose of recuperation and when he returned he was a new man.

He was a member of the 1924 Cup Final winning team and a couple of weeks later he was rewarded for his brilliant work by a cap against England, scoring the Scots goal in a 1-1 draw. It would be the only time he would play for his country.

Cowan was a well-built and powerful athlete who combined craft with speed and ability. He also proved himself a quick and accurate marksman with a dangerous shot in both boots making him a terror for goalkeepers. But his greatest assets were as a fetcher and forager and he had all the Scotsman’s cleverness in the dribbling and ball control.

He once again struggled for form at the beginning of the 1924/25 season and in October he asked for a transfer. He was unhappy with the amount of barracking he was getting from the crowd and said: “I would rather drop into minor football than remain here”. He ended up staying until he once more requested to leave towards the end of the 1925/26 season.