Morgan: Bowering gave me my big chance
By Derek Bish

Saturday 27th March 2010

FORMER Weymouth boss Stuart Morgan has paid tribute to the man who risked his reputation on throwing him into Football management at the age of just 27.

Ex-chairman Bill Bowering passed away on Monday morning, much to the sadness of the footballing community in Weymouth.

Morgan, who now scouts for Tottenham Hotspur, knew him as well as anyone and said he would sorely miss his former boss and friend.

“From a football point of view, he was very knowledgeable chairman who had a lot of success and gave me an opportunity to go into management at quite a young age,” said Morgan.

“He took a bit of a gamble and a risk but we had five or six great years together, won a few things, and signed and sold a few good players.

“Bill was a very successful local businessman and had the club, town and fans at heart – he really knew his football.“He knew how players wanted to be treated. He helped them settle into Weymouth through houses and jobs.

“He looked after everyone and so many people who live in Weymouth would echo what I’m saying.

“People who knew him would have nothing but love and affection for him.”

Morgan and Bowering remained friends since joining forces at the Terras back in the late 70s and spoke about football just 48 hours before the former chairman’s death.

“The first thing he asked me on Saturday when I got back from work was how Spurs got on and I was looking forward to taking him to the cup final,” said Morgan. “I was really hoping he would make it until then but it was not to be.

“When Harry Redknapp phoned me up, Bill would get on the phone to him and talk to him for a good half an hour about football, telling him where to play people.

“He was very knowledgeable about football, right through to this era.”

On behalf of Chickerell United FC, who Bill played for, Terry Stone added: “Bill was a very good friend of Chickerell United Football Club – he was a really generous benefactor and will be sorely missed by us all.

“We all know what a nice and likeable guy he was and he loved his football.”