Danske Bank Premiership: Crusaders v Coleraine (Saturday, 3pm)
WHEN Crusaders midfield dynamo Philip Lowry sat down and assessed his goals were for the season back in August, he knew there were already a few boxes he had already ticked.
Having already bagged four league titles and five Irish Cup medals, there's no much more he needs to achieve in the game
While these achievements may have been on his radar again at the start of the season, competing for the golden boot award was probably down the list somewhat.
18 goals later and this wide-eyed dream is becoming a reality. The 33-year-old Limavady native sits third in the goalscoring charts behind leader Matthew Shevlin and ahead of seasoned scorers such as Larne’s Lee Bonis.
What makes this all the more compelling is the fact Lowry isn't a forward or even a 'number 10'.
Lowry said: “To be honest I see myself more of a number six helping out the defence rather than an out and out goalscorer, but with age comes experience and knowledge and I’ve used both of these attributes this season, by getting into the right spaces at the right time.”
The experience Lowry talks about comes from a road well travelled over the past 20 years. Starting out playing football with his older brother Stephen, also a footballer at Coleraine, the Lowry boys played in two leagues, Limavady Youth in the winter and Newtown Youths in the summer. Lowry quips that by playing in the same side, albeit different age groups, the boys saved their parents a fortune on petrol money running them to and from games on a Saturday.
After captaining the Co Derry side at the senior section of the Milk Cup, facing the likes of Chelsea, Lowry started to get noticed by scouts.
“There was undoubtedly some attention at these games, we had a good tournament and I was lucky enough to get my name mentioned a few times within the Irish League circles and some trials followed across the water” he said.
A chance phonecall from Paul Kee, the Limavady manager, brought the young Lowry into the senior game.
“Stephen my brother, was playing there at the time and they were short on numbers one night, I made it onto the bench and the rest is history. It actually was the only time I ever played alongside Stephen in senior football. Those four or five games were very special.”
Liam Beckett came calling from Institute in 2007 before two years later Lowry got a call from David Jeffrey, the Linfield manager.
“I remember driving up as a teenager thinking nothing would come of it and the next I had a three-year contract. The best bit was I was studying in Belfast at the time and my house overlooked the ground, so the whole move just came at the right time." said Lowry.
An unprecedented triple-double followed with Lowry becoming a memorable figure of the Linfield golden generation of the time.
Following a short stint at Derry City, he made the move to London for personal reasons “my now-wife got a job over there and I did too. Ronnie McFall persuaded me to sign for Portadown on the basis I would fly over every Saturday but this wasn’t working, it was almost impossible to give your best without training with the team”
That’s when Stephen Baxter came calling. Lowry persisted with the commute for a season before making the move home.
“Stephen called me half way through my two-year deal, I think he may have been happy to let me go, but when I told him I was coming home to live we gave it a good go and I was like a different player”
Another league title came, followed by two more Irish Cup medals at the Crues.
Having returned from six months out with a groin injury last year Lowry sees this as the driving force for his superb season.
“Any player will tell you, if you can get a string of 10, 15, 20 games in a row you will undoubtedly be a better player”
As a person Lowry comes across as ambitious, calm and with an ease that he knows he can produce goals as easy as he can make a crunching tackle, “to be honest I don’t really set targets, I try not to put too much pressure on myself. I just know at this minute in time if you give me the ball with an opportunity to score ill take it” that kind of confidence is hard earned.
He praises manager Baxter for giving him the responsibility to know when to push hard or when he needs a break, again this trust is earned and Lowry has left few managers in doubt that he always gives 100 per cent.
Lowry has faith that Crusaders can still win the league and cup this season and who would bet against him if he keeps scoring. Come to think of it, those golden boots might not look too bad on the Limavady man’s feet after all.
