To paraphrase Mick McCarthy, Sam Bowen came into pre-season ahead of this campaign like a different man. After he and assistant Terry Connor "barked" at him to produce more, he evolved his game from a sitting midfielder into more of an all-rounder.
Encouraging performances against Premier League side Brighton in the FA Cup and others in the Championship prompted many to believe he was going to be the next young gun to break through. McCarthy said the player was fitter and had almost reinvented himself over the summer.
He was composed on the ball and was gaining confidence higher up the pitch. Indeed, the manager placed so much faith in him that Ryan Wintle was even sent on loan to Blackpool, citing Bowen's emergence as one of the key factors.
