Football lost one of the best and most renowned talent spotters when Arsenal ’s former chief scout Steve Rowley died last weekend, aged 63.
Former stars Robin van Persie, Ray Parlour and Cesc Fabregas have been quick to pay tribute and there are countless stories about amazing transfer coups during Rowley’s remarkable career at Arsenal.
One such story rather sums up Rowley’s record. Rowley went to the Toulon tournament in 2014, sat behind one of Alexis Sanchez’s representatives who, because they knew each other and had a connection, said that Sanchez was available. Rowley came back to Arsenal, reported his information to Arsene Wenger and the club’s transfer fixer Dick Law who both laughed off the idea that Barcelona would entertain the idea of selling one of their biggest stars.
Law recalled: “The whole process summed up Steve’s work as a scout. From networking, to having contacts, refusing to back down when we refused to believe it. I then called Sanchez’s agent Fernando Felicevich who not only confirmed what his colleague had said but also that there was a fixed price.” Whatever happened next, Arsenal pulled off one of the biggest transfer coups of that summer when they got Sanchez for £30m.
There is a similar story behind the signing of Carlos Vela as, according to Law, Rowley took the word of a junior scout and trusted his judgement to fly to Peru to watch the Mexico forward. Rowley immediately wanted to sign Vela and got a head start because his parents were in the crowd wearing T-shirts with pictures of their son on the front. 72 caps for Mexico later…
Law added: “Steve was not just a terrific bloke, a real proud Essex boy who played such a huge role at Arsenal for so many years with an incredible reputation thanks to his eye for a player. “But he could also rate football clubs by their pies and I always remember Burnley being right at the top of the list.”
