Robert Bernard Fowler

Personalia: Born: 9/4 1975 Birthplace: Liverpool Nationality: England (26/7) Height: 180 cm Weight: 74 kg Position: Striker Playing Record:     League FAC LC Season: Club: Apps Gls Apps Gls Apps Gls 1993-2001 Liverpool 236 120 24 12 32 27 2001-2003 Leeds United 30 14 2 0 0 0 2002-2003 Manchester City 13 2 0 0 0 0 2003-2004 Manchester City 31 7 4 1 2 1 2004-2005 Manchester City 32 10 0 0 1 1 2005-2006 Manchester City             Total:   342 153 30 13 35 29

Robbie Fowler burst onto the scene at Liverpool in 1993 when he was just eighteen years of age. Fowler was idolised on the Kop (who nicknamed him simply "God") during his eight year stint on Merseyside which him score an incredible 174 goals in just 289 first team starts.He fell out of favour when Gerard Houllier became manager, and joined Leeds in an £11m deal in November 2001.

His time at Elland Road was blighted by injury, and Leeds' dire financial situation led to them accepting a £6m bid from City in January 2003. However, despite agreeing terms and passing a medical, the striker stunned both City and Leeds by turning down the move at the last minute. Just over a week later, he changed his mind again, and agreed to the move, and finally joined City with just over a day left in the transfer window.

Robbie was just recovering from injury when he signed for City and he was far from his best during his first season with the Blues. Over-weight and lacking in fitness and confidence, Robbie was merely limping around instead of being a real threat to the opponents. Many supporters had started to doubt that they would ever see the player back to his previous level that had made the Liverpool-supporters nick-name him "God".

Thanks to an individual training schedule and a determined mind he slowly began to show improvement during the 2004/2005 campaign. Against Craystal Palace in January 2005 Robbie was again back to his best. He was a constant threat to the Palace defence scoring the second goal and providing Shaun Wright-Phillips with a pass that secured a 3-1 victory and a great start to the New Year.

Robbie Fowler Factfile:

1975: Born Toxteth, Liverpool, April 9.

1986: Plays for Liverpool boys as an 11-year-old.

1992: Signs as a trainee for Liverpool.

1993: Makes league debut in 1-0 defeat at Chelsea on September 25. Scores all five goals in Liverpool's 5-0 victory over Fulham in the Coca-Cola Cup.

1994: May - finishes the 1993-94 season with a tally of 18 goals in 34 appearances, despite being sidelined for two months with a broken leg.

Stars as England Under-21 team wins annual international tournament in Toulon, France.

December 26 - Fans at Leicester complain to police that Fowler hitched up his shorts during Liverpool's 2-1 win at Filbert Street on Boxing Day. He is later fined £1,000 by the FA for his conduct.

1995: Voted PFA Young Player of the Year and scores 31 goals in all competitions for Liverpool. Collects League Cup winners' medal as Liverpool beat Bolton 2-1 in the Coca-Cola Cup final.

September - suffers nose injury in bust-up with Neil Ruddock, who claimed his expensive shoes had been vandalised on return flight following Liverpool's 2-1 UEFA Cup defeat of Spartak Vladikavkaz in Russia.

1996: March - Makes full England debut as a substitute in 1-0 friendly win over Bulgaria at Wembley.

May - Voted PFA Young Player of the Year for a second successive season. Finishes season with a tally of 35 goals scored from 53 appearances, but on losing side as Liverpool are beaten 1-0 by double winners Manchester United in the FA Cup final.

1997: March - Receives worldwide praise for sportsmanlike gesture when he tries to persuade referee Gerald Ashby not to award penalty when felled by Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman.

The following day, is fined £900 by UEFA for wearing T-shirt supporting striking Liverpool dockers in Liverpool's Cup Winners' Cup victory over SK Brann Bergen.

April - Sent off along with David Unsworth after clashing with the Everton defender in Merseyside derby.

November - Scores for England in 2-0 friendly victory over Cameroon at Wembley.

1998: February - Suffers serious knee injury in challenge with Everton goalkeeper Thomas Myhre and misses rest of the season and World Cup.

1999: January - Scores 100th Premiership goal, against Southampton.

February 27 - Involved in a running feud with Graeme Le Saux during Liverpool's defeat at Chelsea. Le Saux strikes Fowler after the Liverpool player is seen to make gestures at his opponent.

March 2 - FA charge Fowler and Le Saux with misconduct.

March 5 - Le Saux sends written apology to Fowler and the two make peace during a private meeting with England coach Kevin Keegan during build-up for Euro 2000 qualifier against Poland.

April 3 - Causes uproar with goal celebration in Merseyside derby, responding to Everton taunts by mimicking cocaine sniffing on touchline.

April 6 - FA charge Fowler with misconduct over goal celebration. Liverpool impose their own £32,000 fine and warn him about his future conduct.

April 9 - Banned for six matches by FA disciplinary commission (two for Le Saux bust-up, four for goal celebrations v Everton) and handed record £32,000 fine plus costs.

April 18 - Suffered a suspected broken nose early after fracas at Moat House Hotel in Liverpool city centre. Another man is also injured. Fowler is not one of two men arrested by police.

October - Undergoes an operation to clear up an ankle problem.

2000: January - Undergoes a second ankle operation.

June - Selected for Kevin Keegan's Euro 2000 squad, but does not play as England fail to impress in the Low Countries.

August - Takes over as Liverpool skipper in the absence of long-term injury victim Jamie Redknapp, only to suffer more injury woe when he was carried off during the first half of the 4-0 Carlsberg Belfast Challenge success over Irish Cup winners Glentoran.

September 20 - Scores five times in a reserve win over Bradford.

November 29 - Scores a hat-trick in the 8-0 Worthington Cup win at Stoke.

December - Liverpool accept a £12million bid from Premiership rivals Chelsea. Fowler declares he wanted to stay at Liverpool.

2001: January - Fowler attacked during a night out in Liverpool city centre.

February 25 - Scores as Liverpool beat Birmingham to win the Worthington Cup at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

April 8 - Scores what proves to be the late winner against Wycombe in the FA Cup semi-final.

May 12 - Leads Liverpool to victory in the FA Cup final over Arsenal in Cardiff.

May 16 - On target in the UEFA Cup final win over Alaves in Dortmund.

August - Involved in training ground bust-up with assistant boss Phil Thompson which results in him being dropped for the Charity Shield and has to make a public apology before he plays again.

October 6 - Starts the game as England clinch their place in the World Cup finals with a last-gasp 2-2 draw against Greece at Old Trafford.

October 20 - Fires a hat-trick in Liverpool's 4-1 Premiership win at Leicester.

November 27 - Liverpool accept £11million bid from Leeds. Fowler completes move two days later after stringent medical.

December 11 - Released without charge by police after being arrested in relation to an alleged incident in Leeds.

December 19 - Nets first goal for club - and follows up with another in 3-2 defeat of Everton at Elland Road. December 26 - Scores a hat-trick in 3-0 win at Bolton.

2002 June - Heads to Far East with England World Cup squad and plays a part in England's 3-0 second round defeat of Denmark.

December - Returns after missing start of the season due to a hip injury to open his goal account for the season with strike at Bolton and penalty decider at Sunderland.

2003 January 13 - Leeds agree £7million fee with Manchester City.

January 16 - after passing a medical, the move collapses when Fowler has a change of heart and turns down the switch, claiming he 'got the wrong vibes' from the club during his proposed transfer.

January 30 - Changes his mind after a face-to-face chat with City boss Keegan. Completes move to Manchester City on a three-and-a-half-year deal with £3million paid up front and a further £3million due after a number of first-team appearances.

March - Scores his first City goal - in his fifth appearance - netting the winner against Birmingham.

November - Together with best friend and new City team-mate Steve McManaman, at the centre of lurid tabloid allegations over a night out in Colchester following League Cup tie at QPR.

2004

September - Ordered onto a `get fit' regime by Kevin Keegan, who claims the striker is not fit enough to do himself justice in the Premiership.

October - Returns to action in a three-minute substitute appearance in the 1-0 win over previously unbeaten Chelsea, triggering another £500,000 payment to Leeds.

November - For the second successive time at Old Trafford, attempts to wind up Manchester United supporters by waving four fingers at them - the number of European Cups Liverpool have won.

December - Attracts more unwanted attention, this time at Goodison Park, celebrating his goal against Everton by running down the touchline tapping the top of his head after being the victim of ill-founded allegations from the home support.

2005

February 28 - Scores 150th and 151st Premiership goals in last-gasp 3-2 win at Norwich.