Don Cowan

Cowan began his career with Shamrock Rovers A, playing in the 2009 A Championship [3][4] scoring his first goal for the club in a 1–0 win against Bray Wanderers A.[5] He progressed to the first-team, making his League of Ireland Premier Division debut as an 87th-minute substitute in Rovers' 2–1 win over St Patrick's Athletic on 4 July 2009.[6][7] He made four further appearances during the 2009 season, all of which were from the substitute's bench during the latter stages of each match.[8][9][10][11] Cowan made his first appearance of the 2010 campaign in Rovers' 2–0 home defeat to Dundalk, featuring as a 59th-minute substitute.[12] He made three substitute appearances for Shamrock Rovers during the early stages of the season,[13][14] before going on loan to First Division side Longford Town in June 2010 to play regular first-team football.[1][15] He made his debut for Longford in the club's 1–1 home draw with Cork City on 3 July 2010, starting a first-team match for the first time in his career.[16] Cowan made a total of 13 appearances for Longford during the 2010 campaign, eight of which were starting appearances, although he failed to get on the scoresheet.[1]

Ahead of the 2011 season, Cowan signed for Longford Town on a permanent basis.[4] He scored his first ever goal in Longford's first game of the season, scoring in the fourth minute of the match in an eventual 2–1 defeat to Shelbourne on 5 March 2011.[17][18] Six days later, he scored again, sealing Longford's first victory of the season by scoring their second goal in a 2–0 away win at Wexford Youths.[19] In April 2011, Cowan scored in home victories against Waterford United and Salthill Devon respectively, taking his goal tally to four.[20][21] He also scored in games against Limerick,[22] Monaghan United,[23] and Finn Harps.[24] In July 2011, Cowan went on trial with Championship side Millwall after he had impressed in a friendly between the two clubs.[25] He played for Millwall reserves in a match against Brighton & Hove Albion, but ultimately did not earn a contract with the club.[26][27] Cowan returned to Longford in early August, scoring his last goal for the club in a home defeat to Shelbourne on 13 August 2011, having scored his first professional goal against the same team five months earlier.[28][29] His last appearance for Longford was in a 3–1 home loss to Bohemians in the FAI Cup on 27 August.[1][30][31] Cowan played 33 times for Longford in all competitions, scoring eight goals.[32]

Cowan signed for League One side Stevenage on 31 August 2011, joining for an undisclosed fee after spending time on trial with the club.[3] Cowan missed Stevenage's 4–2 win over Rochdale on 3 September due to a delay in confirming his international clearance.[33] After two weeks of waiting, it was announced that international clearance was granted for Cowan on 13 September 2011, and that his undisclosed five-figure fee transfer had been completed.[34] Cowan suffered a number of "niggling injuries" that prevented him from making any first-team appearances for Stevenage during his first two months with the club,[35] although the player was an unused substitute on four separate occasions.[36] He finally made his first-team debut on 17 December 2011, coming on as a 77th-minute substitute in a 2–1 home victory against Tranmere Rovers.[37][38] Cowan made his first start in Stevenage's next match, playing 57 minutes in a 6–1 away victory at Colchester United.[39] During the game, Cowan was pivotal in the first two goals, linking up well with Stevenage striker Chris Beardsley on both occasions.[40] He scored four of Stevenage's five goals in the club's 5–0 Herts Senior Cup victory over Barnet on 31 January 2012, all of which were scored in the first half of the match.[41] In the following round of the Herts Senior Cup, an away tie against Bishop's Stortford,[42] Cowan was substituted after a "rather innocuous tackle" caused swelling to his right ankle.[43] The following day, an X-ray displayed a transverse fracture at the base of the tibia, and Cowan was ruled out of first-team action for six months,[43] subsequently missing the remainder of the 2011–12 season, as well as the start of the following campaign.[44]

In November 2012, having failed to make any first-team appearances since recovering from his six-month injury, Cowan was loaned out to Conference National side Braintree Town on a one-month loan deal.[45] However, after just eight minutes into his Braintree debut, in an away fixture against Southport on 8 December 2012, he had to be substituted due to injury.[46] Cowan returned to Stevenage prematurely, and in January 2013, it was announced that he had left the club by mutual consent.[47] He made nine appearances for the club in all competitions, with his time at Stevenage blighted by a host of injuries.[47]

In February 2013, Cowan joined SPL side Dundee on a free transfer.[48] A month after signing for the club, Cowan made his debut in Dundee's 1–1 draw away to rivals Dundee United, coming on as an 80th-minute substitute.[49] Cowan's first-team opportunities were limited under new manager John Brown, and he was released by the club following Dundee's relegation having made just two substitute appearances.[50][51]

In August 2013, Cowan joined League Two side Southend United on a free transfer, signing a one-month contract.[52] He made his debut in Southend's 1–0 home defeat to Yeovil Town in the League Cup on 6 August, playing the first 71 minutes of the match.[53] Cowan made just two further appearances during his month-long spell with the club, the first as a second-half substitute in Southend's 1–0 away victory at Hartlepool United,[54] and then as a 78th-minute substitute in a 2–1 defeat at Chesterfield.[55] He left Southend upon the expiry of his one-month deal.[56][57]

Without a club for a month, Cowan rejoined League One side Stevenage on 27 September, joining on a one-month contract.[58] A day later, he appeared as a second-half substitute in Stevenage's 4–1 away loss to Milton Keynes Dons.[59] After making two appearance, Cowan had his number thirteen shirt taken by newly arrival Dean Parrett and was released by the club after his one-month contract came to an end.[60]

In January 2014, he re-joined Longford Town.[61] Upon the move, Cowan says he is delighted to be moving back to Longford Town.[62] Cowan was given number seventeen shirt and then re-debut for the club, in the opening game of the season, against Galway on 7 March 2014.[63]

Cowan scored his first goal, where he scored the sixth in the match, as Longford Town would beat 6-0 against Shamrock Rovers on 30 May 2014 and then scored his second goal, where he scored the first in the match, as Longford Town would beat Galway 3-0 on 27 June 2014.

Longford would go on to win the League of Ireland First Division title in 2014 with Cowan making 22 appearances. Cowan featured in their 2 seasons in the Premier Division which culminated in the club's relegation at the end of 2016. He would play on for 2017 before leaving at the season's end.