Picture if you will, a young lad named Kieran Dowell, born on the 10th of October, 1997, and you've just had your first pint in celebration of your 28th birthday. Born and bred in England, he's a midfielder who typically lysts along in the central attacking position, and is now, of all things, padding around for Rangers. He stands a strapping 6ft 1in (1.86m) in the imperial vernacular, and tips the scales at a respectable 11st (70kg), all of which sees him managing somehow to fill the number 20 jersey.
Like many a budding young player, our Kieran began his professional life as a trainee back in July 2014. His luck must have been in, for he found himself at Everton, rubbing shoulders with the Premier League elite. He even got to make two first team appearances for Everton in the 2015 - 2016 season, in between fetching the half time oranges I imagine.
Fast forward to August 2017, and it was time for a change of scenery. Dowell transferred, on loan, to Nottingham Forest. Still keeping company with the Premier League, he made 38 first team appearances, and booted in nine goals during the 2017 - 2018 season. Not a bad return, if you're into that sort of thing.
The next sequence of events reads like a weird version of professional football player bingo. January 2019, and Dowell transferred from Everton to Sheffield United, a step down in divisions but at least there are pies this time. He played 16 times and scored twice in the 2018 - 2019 season. July 2019, saw him transferred, again on loan, from Everton to Derby County, racking up ten first team appearances. Then, in January 2020, it was off to Wigan Athletic in League One for Dowell, where he made 12 first team appearances and triumphantly scored five goals. This lad sure does get around.
In July 2020, he wound up at Norwich City after Everton decided to get something more substantial than footprints on the pitch for their player, and released him for around £2m (and I thought playing football would be cheaper). For Norwich, over three seasons, he saw action on the pitch 23, 19 and 24 times respectively, scoring a grand total of eleven goals. Can't see the fans arguing about who puts up the Christmas decorations with those heroics.
The merry-go-round continued in July 2023, as Dowell made his trip north of the border, signing with none other than Rangers. Over three seasons, he trotted out onto the pitch 12, 12, and 2 times respectively, managing to slot in two goals during his inaugural season. But it wasn't all glamour and haggis, as in January 2025 he was sent on loan to Birmingham City, only to return to Rangers in June of the same year.
All the back and forth must have left him dizzy, but he managed to participate in the League Cup 2025 - 2026 for Rangers with one start, and the Champions League Qualifiers 2025 - 2026 for Rangers with two starts and one appearance as a substitute.
Truly, one never knows where the journey of a footballer will take them. From the sun-soaked pitches of Everton to a stint in the Championship, with a side helping of League One for good measure, to the misty promise of glory in Scotland, Kieran Dowell's career is nothing if not... well, colourful, doubtlessly all part of the grand and mysterious tapestry that constitutes the beautiful game.
