Samuel Cowan (10 May 1901 – 4 October 1964) was an English football player and manager. A relative latecomer to the sport, Cowan did not play football until he was 17 and was 22 by the time he turned professional. He made his league debut for Doncaster Rovers in 1923, and signed for First Division Manchester City the following season. Cowan played centre half for Manchester City for 11 seasons, captaining the team in the early to mid-1930s. Alongside David Silva & Vincent Kompany he is the only other player to have represented Manchester City in three FA Cup finals, as a runner-up in 1926 and 1933, and as a winner in 1934. Internationally, he gained three England caps between 1926 and 1931. In total he played 407 times for Manchester City, putting him 12th in terms of all-time appearances. In 1935, he transferred to Bradford City, and subsequently moved to Mossley as player-manager. In 1938, Cowan joined Brighton & Hove Albion as a coach, and set up a physiotherapy business. He returned to Manchester City as manager in 1946, winning the Second Division in his only season in charge. He continued to work in sports and physiotherapy until his death in 1964. Football career Early career Cowan was born on 10 May 1901 in Chesterfield, but moved further north in his early years and was raised in Adwick le Street near Doncaster. He did not play football as a child, only gaining an interest in the sport when he took part in a game at a local park aged 17. He then started to play for local teams, including Adwick Juniors, Bullcroft Main Colliery and Denaby United and had an unsuccessful trial at Huddersfield Town. In 1923, Cowan gained his first professional contract following a successful trial at his local league club, Doncaster Rovers of the Third Division (North). Despite playing as a defender, during his time at Doncaster he scored regularly, including a hat-trick of headed goals against Halifax Town in March 1924. His performances gained the attention of bigger clubs, and in December 1924 he joined Manchester City, who sought a successor to the likes of Mick Hamill and Max Woosnam. Manchester City Cowan made his Manchester City debut in a 2–2 draw against Birmingham City on 20 December 1924, and scored his first goal for the club two weeks later, against Nottingham Forest. He played in