MARK ROWE

Born: 09 June 1964

Came from: Apprentice   Went to: Saltash United

First game: 15 September 1981   Last game: 23 February 1985

Appearances: 70 (59/11)   Goals: 2

Born in Wadebridge, in Cornwall, Rowe came through the youth ranks at Argyle, making his debut in midfield in September 1981 at the age of just 17. At the time, he would have been the club's fifth youngest debutant, but such is the changing face of youth in modern football, he now sits just outside the Top 20 as of 2025.

In 1979, such was his promise, as a youth with the East Cornwall SFA (Schools Football Association), that he was selected for the England under 15 squad for a tournament against teams including Wales, the Netherlands and Switzerland. The squad also contained future full England internationals, Trevor Steven and Mark Walters.

The tournament was the ESFA (England Schools Football Association) 75th Anniversary International Schoolboys Tournament, held in northern England. Rowe didn't play in the earlier games, though he was an unused substitute in a 1-1 draw against Wales at Wembley in front of 52,000, a week before the tournament started. He was, however, capped and did play in the seventh-place play-off match against the Republic of Ireland at Worksop Town's former Central Avenue ground, resulting in a 0-1 defeat and the young Lions disappointingly finishing eighth and last in their own tournament.

Signing professional terms at Home Park in September 1981, he made his debut under Bobby Moncur via a start against Chester City in the Football League Cup later that month, and then four days later, started against Brentford, for his Football League debut, away at the old Griffin Park.

Over the following four seasons with the Pilgrims, he played under Moncur, John Hore and Dave Smith, as well as two caretaker spells by Martin Harvey. He made a total of 70 appearances in all competitions, scoring twice. His debut goal game in a 4-0 home win against Scunthorpe United in September, at the start of the 1983-84 season. His second goal came in the same season and was more seminal. He scored against Barking in a 2-1 win in the FA Cup 2nd round, near the start of 'the Road to Villa Park' and Argyle's remarkable journey to the FA Cup Semi-Final under John Hore's management.

Despite playing 13 times in the following season, he was allowed to leave and joined Saltash United in 1985. He had a second spell back in the Football League when he signed on a non-contract basis for Torquay United for the 1986-87 season, going on to make seven further Football League appearances for the Gulls before returning to Saltash United.

He spent the next decade or so as a regular on the Cornish football scene, spending seven years in total with Saltash, before moving to Falmouth Town for four years, then a year with Truro City, before spending his final four years of playing back in green, with St Blazey, until calling it a day in 2000.

Mark would later feature as a regular guest player for Argyle Legends over the next twenty years, the former players' team now under the management of the club's Forever Green programme.