Tom Lowder

Thomas William Lowder (24 November 1924 – 15 May 1999) was an English footballer who played as an outside-forward in the 1950s, spending most of his career with Boston United as well as playing in the Football League with Rotherham United, Southampton and Southend United.

Football career Lowder was born in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, but started his football career in London with Crystal Palace, whom he joined as an amateur in September 1946. He failed to make the first team with Palace and in August 1947, he joined Rotherham United where he spent two seasons in the Third Division North. He made his debut for the "Millers" on 4 December 1948, when he scored a hat-trick in an 8–1 win at Carlisle United. During his two years at the Millmoor club, Lowder managed only eight league appearances, in which he scored two further goals as Rotherham finished both seasons as runners-up, missing out on the single promotion place.

He was allowed to leave Rotherham in the 1949 close season when he signed up with Boston United. He played nine games and scored five goals whilst playing on the left wing before he was transferred to Southampton for £1500 in October. Southampton's manager, Sid Cann, had gone to Boston to look at Bryn Elliott in a Midland League match but he was so impressed with Lowder's fast wing play that he signed both players.

He made his debut for the "Saints" at Chesterfield on 26 November 1949, when he took the place of Welsh international Ernie Jones for one match, but it was not until January that he had a run of matches, when Jones was out injured. Jones regained his place at the start of April and Lowder returned to the reserves. In the following season, Lowder vied for the outside-left position with Jack Edwards and John Mitchell, making only three appearances. Lowder eventually displaced Edwards in December 1951 and retained his place for the remainder of the 1951–52 season. An attack of peritonitis

Lowder spent one season with Southend, in which he made a total of 22 appearances with three goals before returning to Boston in June 1954.

At Boston, he was snapped up by Ray Middleton at the start of the 1954–55 Midland League season and became a fixture in the Boston United side over the next six years, rarely missing a match. In his first season, playing mostly at inside-left, Lowder scored 19 goals in 45 games as Boston finished fifth in the Midland League. He also played in all seven FA Cup matches and scored six goals.

The following season, he made all his appearances at left-half, with 40 games in the league (four goals) and all four FA Cup matches (one goal). this set up a Third round match against Spurs of the Football League First Division at White Hart Lane, which was lost 4–0. Boston finished the 1955–56 season as runners-up in the Midland League. with Lowder missing only one match.

Later career Lowder settled in Boston and, after finishing his playing career, he ran an off-licence and grocery store, from which he retired in June 1990. He died in Boston in May 1999 aged 74.