| POSITION :- | Centre-Forward | ||
| DATE OF BIRTH:- | 9.4.75 | ||
| PLACE OF BIRTH:- | Liverpool | ||
| DATE SIGNED:- | 23.4.92 | ||
| FROM:- | Trainee | ||
| HEIGHT :- | 5' 8" | ||
| WEIGHT:- | 11st 10lb | ||
| HISTORY : - | Club | Transfer Fee | League Apps |
| Liverpool | from trainee | 137+3 |
He helped the England Under-18 team to win the European Championship in the summer of 1993 before making a scoring first-team debut in Liverpool's 3-1 win in a first-round Coca-Cola Cup tie at Fulham in September 1993. He really started to make a name for himself when he grabbed all five goals in the second leg at Anfield two weeks later.
By so doing he became only the fourth player in Liverpool's history to score five in a senior fixture. He scored his first League hat-trick against Southampton in only his fifth League game and his first 13 games for the club yielded 12 goals for which his reward was an England Under-21 debut against San Marino in November 1993. He marked this by scoring England's opener in the third minute.
Although unable to sustain his goal-a-game ratio throughout the season and despite being out for almost two months with a hairline fracture of the ankle, he nonetheless finished his first term as the "Reds" leading scorer with 18 goals in all competitions. He began the 1994-95 season by scoring five goals in Liverpool's first three League games including the fastest-ever Premier League hat-trick in 4 minutes 32 seconds against Arsenal.
Becoming most commonly compared as a goal-poacher with Jimmy Greaves, his seemingly inexorable progress was temporarily halted by his sending-off in an Under-21 international in Austria in November for which he was suspended by UEFA for four games.
He further blotted his copybook by being hit with an FA disrepute charge after an incident at Leicester on Boxing Day for which he was subsequently fined £1,000. However, he ended a season in which he was Liverpool's only ever-present with a Coca-Cola Cup winners' medal after their defeat of Bolton at Wembley in March and with the coveted PFA Young Player of the Year award. He was also comfortably the club's leading scorer again with 31 goals (25 League, 2 FA Cup, 4 Coca-Cola Cup), becoming the first Anfield player for six years to top 30 goals. He also made his first appearance for the England 'B' side.
Despite being left-out of the side at the beginning of the season in favour of Rush and Collymore, the 1995-96 season saw Fowler become Liverpool's top striker, scoring 36 goals in all competitions, and helping Liverpool to an FA Cup Final appearance.
Fowler was rewarded with a full England cap in April 1996 against Croatia, and has won five more caps including one in the European Championships.
The 96/97 season was another fantastic effort by Fowler, with Stan Collymore as his partner he notched 31 goals in all competitions, he also scored his first goal for England in a friendly against Mexico.
Fowler had his fair share of press during the season, he was fined by UEFA for wearing a 'support the sacked Liverpool dockers' T-shirt under his Liverpool shirt, a T-shirt he proudly displayed when he scored a goal.
Then there was the infamous penalty affair at Highbury, David Seaman was adjudged to have brought Fowler down in the box, and Liverpool were awarded a penalty. Fowler then tried to tell the referee it was not a penalty but his strange request was rejected. Fowler stepped up took a weak penalty which Seaman saved but the rebound was drilled in by Jason McAteer.
Robbie missed the start of the 97/98 season with injury, but returned to partner teenage prodigy Michael Owen in attack.
For the first time in his career Fowler seemed to be struggling with his form, and he lost his England place in February, ironically it was Michael Owen who replaced him in England's line-up.
More worrying, however was when Fowler refuted claims in a Sunday newspaper that he was being blackmailed by a Merseyside gang.
Though having a bad season by his standards, Robbie still managed to score 13 goals in all competitions until he injured his knee ligaments in the 'derby' game against Everton at Anfield.
It remains to be seen whether Fowler's World Cup dream is over for another four years. Just signed a new five-year comtract.
Extras :
Transfer Status : Important First Team Player
Clubs Interested : Arsenal
Transfer Value : £12 million