Colin Cowperthwaite
{{short description|English footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2016}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Colin Cowperthwaite
| image =
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|4|16|df=y}}
| birth_place = Flookburgh, Lancashire, England
| height =
| position =
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 = 1977–1992
| clubs1 = Barrow
| caps1 = 704
| goals1 = 282
}}
Colin Cowperthwaite (born 16 April 1959) is an English former semi-professional footballer. He is best known as the overall top scorer and record appearance holder for Barrow, a club he played for from December 1977 till December 1992, where he scored 282 goals in 704 league and cup games.[http://www.nwemail.co.uk/The-highlight-of-my-career-74936ea6-eaf0-44d4-8c44-4c6e02f99af9-ds The highlight of my career] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111445/http://www.nwemail.co.uk/The-highlight-of-my-career-74936ea6-eaf0-44d4-8c44-4c6e02f99af9-ds |date=4 March 2016 }}, North West Evening Mail, 2010-05-06. Retrieved 2011-05-01. He has been voted Barrow's all-time greatest player.
Cowperthwaite made his debut for Barrow in 1977 when the team were in the Northern Premier League, five years after they had been relegated from the football league. During his period at the club, he won two Northern Premier League titles, playing eight seasons in that league and nine in the Alliance Premier League.[https://www.fchd.info/BARROW.HTM Barrow AFC] Football Club History Database; Accessed 16 March 2008 The biggest success in that period came in 1990 when Barrow beat Leek Town 3–0 in the FA Trophy final at Wembley, in which Cowperthwaite scored.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/in_depth/2000/wembley/930894.stm Barrow back on the map] Roberts, Martin; 2000; BBC Sport; Accessed 16 March 2008{{cite web|last1=McDonald|first1=Neil|title=We can repeat heroics of 1990|url=http://www.nwemail.co.uk/We-can-repeat-heroics-of-1990-5e5a71d5-2980-40cd-a19b-cc4c9853b576-ds|publisher=North-West Evening Mail|accessdate=26 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415115723/http://www.nwemail.co.uk/We-can-repeat-heroics-of-1990-5e5a71d5-2980-40cd-a19b-cc4c9853b576-ds|archive-date=15 April 2016|url-status=dead}} When Cowperthwaite retired in 1992, his testimonial match was held against Manchester City.{{cite news|title=Sunderland Chief Quinn Praises Barrow AFC Fans and Offers to Help Club |url=http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk/sunderland_chief_quinn_praises_barrow_afc_fans_and_offers_to_help_club_1_657870?referrerPath=news_2_3125 |accessdate=26 October 2015 |publisher=Hexham Courant |date=7 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402183558/http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk/sunderland_chief_quinn_praises_barrow_afc_fans_and_offers_to_help_club_1_657870?referrerPath=news_2_3125 |archivedate=2 April 2015 }} After retiring, he continued to be active in the local amateur football scene. He played for Cartmel in the North Lancashire and District Football League, later managing the team in two different spells.[http://www.conistonlocal.co.uk/legend-cowps-back-at-holker-street-on-wednesday-night-1.697998?referrerPath=info_2_5897 Legend Cowps Back at Holker Street on Wednesday Night] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326024404/http://www.conistonlocal.co.uk/legend-cowps-back-at-holker-street-on-wednesday-night-1.697998?referrerPath=info_2_5897 |date=26 March 2012 }} North West Evening Mail. 20–04–10. Accessed 9–08–11 With Cartmel he played alongside a young Jason Walker, who grew up in the same village of Flookburgh as Cowperthwaite; like Cowperthwaite, Walker would go on to score for Barrow in an FA Trophy final at Wembley.{{cite web|last1=Procter|first1=Lee|title=I'm still really in shock|url=http://www.nwemail.co.uk/Im-still-really-in-shock-e8bb8b11-28f7-4fe3-b85c-89d8cca71582-ds|publisher=North-West Evening Mail|accessdate=26 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415113253/http://www.nwemail.co.uk/Im-still-really-in-shock-e8bb8b11-28f7-4fe3-b85c-89d8cca71582-ds|archive-date=15 April 2016|url-status=dead}}
His 1979-goal after just 3.5 seconds in a game against Kettering Town[https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/footballs-fastest-goal-claimed-1524713.html Football's fastest goal claimed] Hodgson, Guy and Searl, Liz; 1995; The Independent; Accessed 16 March 2008 was at the time the fastest recorded in the English game, and is still the fastest in a national competition, though a faster goal has since been scored by Marc Burrows in a reserve match.[http://www.wldcup.com/news/2004Apr/20040421_23727_world_soccer.html English amateur claims world's fastest goal] World Cup Soccer; 2004; Accessed 16 March 2008
He is the father of Niall Cowperthwaite, who played in the Football League with Morecambe, and who also went on to play for Barrow.{{cite news|title=Barrow sign Niall Cowperthwaite and Ted Cribley|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25465901|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=26 October 2015}}