He moved to East Midlands rivals, Nottingham Forest in June 1935, where he spent a further two seasons of reserve-team football, making only 14 first-team appearances in the Second Division. He then spent a season with Brighton & Hove Albion, making only one appearance before moving along the south coast to return to the Second Division with Southampton.
He made his "Saints" debut in the opening match of the 1938–39 season, playing at inside-left in a 2–1 defeat at home to Tottenham Hotspur,[2] before giving way to Arthur Holt. Bowden made only one further appearance in the first team, plus 25 for the reserves,[1] before being released at the end of the season.
Following the outbreak of World War II, Bowden never played League football again.[1]
References
^ abcHolley, Duncan; Chalk, Gary (1992). The Alphabet of the Saints. ACL & Polar Publishing. p. 39. ISBN0-9514862-3-3.
^Chalk, Gary; Holley, Duncan (1987). Saints – A complete record. Breedon Books. pp. 100–101. ISBN0-907969-22-4.