At the age of sixteen, goalkeeper Mike Stowell had the chance to join Preston North End where club legend Alan Kelly was the manager. Mike was playing football in the non-league circles, progressing to a higher level with Leyland Motors of the North West Counties League, Blackpool Mechanics and, finally, Pickups Heating in the Sunday League.
The young goalkeeper was serving a four-year apprenticeship with British Telecom at the time Preston came knocking. Mike’s father, on finding out of the interest, insisted that his son was to dedicate himself to seeing out his time as an apprentice. Stowell was already hitting the headlines in the local press with class displays when Preston were having a goalkeeping crisis with only one fit keeper available. When North End manager Alan Kelly asked Stowell if he would play for their reserves, he readily agreed. So, working as an apprentice all week, and playing for Leyland Motors and Blackpool Mechanics at the weekend, he added Preston North End reserves to his CV.
One of his earliest outings for the reserves entailed boarding a minibus after finishing his day’ s work, with a trip to north Lincolnshire before turning out for Preston North End against Scunthorpe United. In the side for the hosts was cricketing legend Ian Botham, who was also good with his feet. The Iron scored three times, with Botham netting a double.
The return journey was due to arrive back to the North West around midnight. Unfortunately, the bus broke down, delaying its arrival at 3 am. It couldn’t have been a pleasant thought for Mike, knowing that he was up for work only a few hours later to carry out his duties with BT.
Alan Kelly’s first XI was struggling in their division. Matters worsened that weekend, a disastrous result leaving them in the relegation basement. Kelly decided to punish those that were in the side that suffered heavily by playing them in the reserve local derby against Blackpool, with Stowell between the posts. The interest in the reserve fixture appealed to the fans which brought around five or six thousand to the game.
With him impressing further, North End now wanted to offer Stowell a contract. His father remained father none too enthusiastic, giving his son wise words of advice, reminding him that the offer of a one-year contract wasn’t exactly mouthwatering (compared to the security of his four-year apprenticeship with BT). ‘You’re not going to Preston North End!’ insisted his father.
Mike’s father was proved right with North End manager Alan Kelly getting sacked at the end of that season. Kelly went to Everton, acting as the club’s goalkeeping coach. Everton at that time were blessed with Neville Southall and Bobby Mimms as their first choice shot stoppers, with nobody else pushing them for competition.
Kelly told Howard Kendall that a young and upcoming keeper was required who they could eventually integrate into the first team squad. He went on to inform Kendall that he knew of someone that was currently playing for Leyland Motors. That person was Mike Stowell.
Everton’s manager was keen to take a look at him. So, that weekend, Stowell was playing for Leyland Motors in an early round of the FA Cup at Colwyn Bay. Kendall instructed Neville Southall who was close to home to go and watch him; after all, there was no better judge than him. Stowell had no knowledge of the Welsh goalkeeping star being in the crowd of around 150, observing.
Later on, he received a message from the Leyland Motors manager telling him that Everton wanted him to go on a week’s trial. He took a week off work and drove, to be greeted at Bellefield, to be greeted by legendary goalkeeper Gordon Banks who went in a couple of days a week to help the keepers. Stowell had to pinch himself, astonished to be in the company of such class international goalkeepers. After a week’s trial, Mike returned home, resuming his normal work duties.
He played a game for Leyland Motors, before being told after the game by his manager that Everton wanted to sign him. Mike could not wait to announce the news to his father, reminding him that he was still on his apprenticeship. His father responded with, ‘They are the Champions of England. To hell with the job, get yourself to Everton!’
Mike went back to Leyland Motors to make sure it was okay for him to go to Everton. The manager naturally gave his blessing, ecstatically happy that Mike was going to club that was a force in football. Leyland Motors were not allowed to negotiate a fee, so, Everton gave Leyland Motors some kit and a bag of footballs. Having signed a deal for two-and-a-half years in November 1985, the newcomer could not believe that he was in the same environment as Southall and his deputy, Bobby Mimms.
Fast forward 26 March 1986, at Landsdowne Road in Dublin. Wales triumph over the Republic of Ireland in a friendly, but Southall slipped on a rutted pitch, causing him a severe dislocation of his ankle and ligaments. This injury would see the Welsh legend sidelined for a considerable time.
As Everton disposed of Sheffield Wednesday at Villa Park in the FA Cup semi-final, they would face their neighbours Liverpool in the end of season showpiece, in the first ever Merseyside FA Cup final on 10 May.
Skipper Kevin Ratcliffe brought to Stowell’s attention that he had a chance of being part of the squad on that special day, as Mimms was the only available keeper. Howard Kendall summoned the rookie into his office, asking if he’d played already in the competition that season. Stowell admitted that he had turned out in the FA Cup earlier that season for Leyland Motors at Colwyn Bay, making him cup tied. That involvement led Everton’s manager to bring in Northern Ireland’s international keeper Pat Jennings as cover. Mike was able to go to the occasion at Wembley, unfortunately only as a spectator.
The following season, Everton became blessed with goalkeepers with the additions of Alec Chamberlain and Fred Barber. As there was only one goalkeeper that could fit the bill. Stowell went out on loan for three months at Chester City, followed by spells at York City and Manchester City.
The following season, 1987/88, saw Stowell continue helping other clubs on loan starting with Port Vale, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Preston North End. Back at Bellefield, Mimms had joined Tottenham Hotspur with Barber going to Walsall.
Everton’s boss told Stowell that he wanted him to sign for a further two years, but as the number two to Neville Southall. Stowell agreed but concerned that there were no substitute goalkeepers back then. As everyone knows, Southall would never miss a training session or a game, that’s how dedicated he was.
Stowell trained with his mentor every day, shared a room on away trips, even putting Nev through his warm-up exercises before a match.
The Simod Cup game against Millwall saw Stowell being recalled from his loan spell at Port Vale to be given a rare chance between the posts as Southall was ruled out with a back injury. It’s a pity that only 3,703 were there to witness Stowell’s clean sheet in a 2-0 victory thanks to a goal from Cottee and an own goal from Hurlock.
In the same season, Everton travelled away to White Hart Lane in the April. It came a week after the Hillsborough disaster, which saw all games that day kick off at 15.06 as a mark of respect. Two days before the trip, Neville didn’t report for training, having come to some harm whilst gardening. A thorn or a thistle had gone into Neville’s eye, which led to it swelling. The club’s physio John Clinkard was made aware of the injury, confirming the diagnosis with a zero chance of playing.
Mike prepared himself with the possibility he would play training with his teammates with the fixture only two days away. That night in bed at the hotel, Mike had the most restless night of his life with the thought of making his league debut.
Once arriving at the stadium, the day of the game, entering the dressing room, Mike caught the glimpse of Nev, sat in his seat. Mike’s heart sank, having been convinced that he would be making his league debut for Everton. Nev had managed to get someone to drive him down on the morning of the game.
Mike was still present at the club when Everton faced their neighbours Liverpool in the 1989 FA Cup final. He travelled with the party, allowing him to be a spectator at Wembley Stadium, a game Everton lost in extra time.
Mike’s contract was now up for renewal with Colin Harvey desperate to keep the up-and-coming youngster. The manager tried to persuade to stay and sign a new two-year contract. Mike had enough of playing second fiddle and Colin fully understood the situation. Wolverhampton Wanderers showed an interest with a fee being settled by a tribunal at £375,000. Not a bad return, as Everton got him for a bag of footballs and kit.
Mike looks back with fondness on his time at Everton, pinching himself that he was with one of the best football team of that time. There were hardly any regrets, he was learning from Nev Southall, described as the best keeper in the world at that time. If there was one, it would be not playing a league game. When you are second to the best goalkeeper in the world, you are not likely to get many games.
Mike’s opinion of Nev was that he had his quirky ways, but in terms of his professionalism, he was ‘different class’. According to Mike: ‘People get the wrong perception of Nev, thinking he was hard. That wasn’t the case, he was tough. When we were practising crosses in training, he would crash straight into my ribs. He encouraged you so much, making you believe that you could deal with anything on that pitch. He drove the standards on the training pitch.’
A club trip to Hong Kong also sticks in Mike’s memory – and why not? That was one of the perks in his four and a half years with the Toffees.
Steve Zocek
