On the ball in Bowman bubble

“A lot of hard work but I feel that it has put me in a good position coming back.”

Pars defender Matty Bowman and his sister have their sights set on footballing success. Their Yorkshire family are certainly sporty and while sixteen year old, Anna features for Scarborough Ladies U18s, Matty is hoping that her help during lockdown can prepare his way to progress at Dunfermline.

The nineteen year old is delighted to be back after the long lay off created by the Covid-19 caused lockdown. He was disappointed last season not to get more minutes than he did so he worked really hard during the five months off in lockdown.

“I was training every morning. I kept myself really fit, it is something that I pride myself on and I feel that I have given myself the best chance possible to come back and get some minutes.”

Matty considers himself luckier that most since during lockdown he had someone to keep him on the ball.

“I was at home in North Yorkshire, thankfully my sister, Anna, plays football. She is turning sixteen this year so that helped massively since I couldn’t mix with anyone else. She plays for Scarborough Ladies under 18s, technically very gifted and just needed the fitness work that I helped her with in lockdown.

“We were out in the morning training then fortunately my mum is head of sport at the local six form so I managed to get private access to the gym. I was doing double sessions pretty much everyday. Keeping myself going and keeping myself fit. That was quite fortunate but obviously a lot of hard work but I feel that it has put me in a good position coming back.”

Matthew was part of Middlesbrough and Hull City’s youth academies, but left Hull City at his own request to accept a two year bursary award offered to him by Repton School in Derbyshire, which allowed him to complete his A levels and be involved in their excellent football programme. He joined Dunfermline in May last year but only played in one pre season match since he had to go back to school to get his A level results and missed the first pre season match against Forfar Athletic.

“I played 30 minutes against Hibs last year in pre season but at Stenhousemuir it was the first time that I have started. I feel really good and delighted to be playing, it is what you want to do. To get 90 minutes in your legs was tough after six months out.”

Matty has played in all three pre season games, the entire game against Stenny, the last half hour against both Spartans and against East Fife. He described his first ever trip to Methil:-

“It was great to get out on the pitch. It was a little sticky but once you get the ball at your feet there is nothing you want to do other than play football.”

Last season Matty went out on loan to Northern Premier League side, Pickering Town.

“It is near where I live in England and it was just to get some football. As a footballer you want to play and it got to the point last season where I felt that I needed to get out and, more than anything, get some games under my belt again. As much as I was enjoying reserve football you want to be playing on a Saturday. That is what your week builds up to.

“I trained Monday to Friday at Dunfermline and just travelled down for the weekend. The manager there, Steve Roberts, had given me my debut for Scarborough Athletic so he knew me but unfortunately everything got cut short because we went into lockdown. I only got four games in the end which was a bit of a shame.”

Matty is back sharing a flat with fellow Yorkshireman and striker, Gabby McGill in Dunfermline. Following all the new signings made by Stevie Crawford, he feels that the squad for this season is strong:-

“They are good quality and more importantly good lads in terms of character. The environment is really good around the place, everyone is really enjoying it and even though it is pre season it helps when you are turning up and winning games. It keeps the morale high.”

There is no shortage of coaches to give advice as well since Jason Dair, Greg Shields and Steven Whittaker have all played at the back.

“We had the three coaches - the Gaffer, Dan and Shieldsie - and now Whitts has come in and he has been brilliant both as a player and as a coach. You can hear Owain with the keepers, they do their own thing for a lot of the session but you can hear him quite a lot. It is good to have different people that you can go and talk to all the time and learn things. Whitts has played at a higher level and he has played in my position.

“I try to work with them especially on the defensive part of my game, I think it has come on a lot. I was trying to work with my sister on it but there is only so much that I can do with your sister. It is a massive help to have them around and learn from their experiences.”

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