Date / Year of birth: 2nd December 1950

Position: Goalkeeper

Season of first appearance: 1973/74

Season of last appearance: 1978/79

Also played for: Orient (8,0), Derby County (0), Dulwich Hamlet, Woking and Fisher Athletic

6' 1" tall agile keeper born in Bethnal Green, London who was an England Schoolboy and Youth international. Steve started his career as an apprentice with Orient and became understudy to Ray Goddard. He made eight first team appearances, all in the Football League, spanning the 1967/68-1971/72 seasons.

In the summer of 1973 Steve joined Margate and manager Les Riggs said "Bowtell was persuaded to come to Margate rather than accept a league offer." He added "he only became available because Orient have snapped up another good substitute for Goddard. I am sure he will become a great favourite."

Steve made his debut in a 3-2 defeat at home to Romford on 11.8.73, the opening day of the 1973/74 season. He went on to make 63 appearances, keeping 18 clean sheets, and missed only two games, both due to a cut hand suffered when he accidentally put his hand through a window at home in October 1973. In a report on Margate's 3-3 draw with Barnet on 15.12.73 the Thanet Times said that Steve "looked like a Madame Tussuad's replica" when a shot left him rooted to the spot but he also turned in several excellent performances during the season. On 12.1.74 he was reported to have pulled off an "almost impossible save" from a volley during a 2-0 win over Dover and on 23.2.74 Steve made what the local press called a "string of successful saves" in a 1-1 draw with Atherstone. He also made a save described by the Isle of Thanet Gazette as "brilliant" as Margate went down 3-1 at Weymouth on 8.4.74 and during the campaign Steve was described as being "imposing". On 13.4.74 he was in the side that won the Kent Senior Cup with a 2-0 win at Maidstone.

The 1974/75 season was an excellent one for Steve and a string of acrobatic displays made him a worthy winner of the club's 'Player of the Year' award. He played in 64 of Margate's 66 games and kept 20 clean sheets. They included a run of seven in a row between 17.2.75 and 15.3.75 inclusive. The local press were full of praise for him during the season. The Thanet Times report for Margate's 1-0 win over Kettering at Hartsdown on 5.10.74 said that Steve "defied and amazed Kettering's strikers" in a "faultless" display and on 16.11.74 he made a "succession of spectacular saves" in a 3-3 draw with Weymouth. During a 4-1 win over Dulwich on 30.11.74 Steve gave "a goalkeeping performance that most managers can only dream about" in the eyes of the Thanet Times and the headline for the report on a 2-0 win over Dartford on 7.12.74 was "Bowtell again the saviour". A week later Steve was said to have had "the game of his life" in a 2-2 draw at Stourbridge and on 21.12.74 he saved a penalty during a 2-0 defeat at Barnet. He continued to turn in impressive performances throughout the season and made four brilliant saves in a 3-1 defeat at Burton on 18.1.75.

Steve suffered a blow in August 1975 when he damaged his shoulder during a pre-season friendly against Ramsgate and the injury ruled him out of the opening matches of the 1975/76 campaign. He was as impressive as ever when he returned to action and the Thanet Times described Steve as being "surely the best goalkeeper in the league". However a fractured thumb suffered during a 1-0 win at Burton on 11.10.75 put Steve out of action again. He was on the sidelines for two months before returning to the side in December 1975. On 22.4.76 Steve played as Margate won 2-0 at Canterbury in the 1st Leg of the Kent Floodlight Trophy Final and he also featured in the 2nd Leg at Hartsdown Park on 24.4.76 which the visitors won 2-1 after extra time. The result meant Margate took the trophy with a 3-2 aggregate win. Steve finished the season having made 53 appearances and he kept 16 clean sheets.

At the start of the 1976/77 campaign Steve had the chance to get back into League football when 1st Division Derby gave him an extended trial. He made an excellent impression, only conceding one goal in six reserve team appearances, and the Rams were keen to sign him. Unfortunately by the time Derby had made up their mind about Steve it was too late to register him for their forthcoming UEFA Cup campaign and as a result the club decided not to offer Steve a contract after all.

In September 1976 he returned to Margate and Les Riggs said "I am pleased to have him back." The Thanet Times commented that "any league team wanting an experienced and reliable goalkeeper would be advised to bid - and Derby would supply the reference" but no offers came in and Steve stayed at Margate. He went on to make 40 appearances during the 1976/77 season, taking over from youngster Lee Smelt who'd stood in for him during his time in Derby. As ever, Steve turned in many fine performances during the campaign and his displays in a 3-2 defeat at Chelmsford on 18.10.76 and a 4-1 win at Kettering on 3.1.77 were especially impressive. He was referred to as "that prince of non-league goalkeepers" by the local press and by the end of the season Steve had made over 200 appearances for Margate but he couldn't prevent the club being relegated from the Southern League Premier Division.

He continued to be Margate's first-choice keeper during the 1977/78 campaign and made 37 appearances, keeping 13 clean sheets as Margate won the Southern League 1st Division (South) title. Steve would have been ever-present but suffered broken ribs in a 2-1 win at Aylesbury on 7.1.78 and missed ten games as a result. At the time he wasn't aware of the injury and completed the full 90 minutes.

Steve began the 1978/79 season in fine form and on 9.9.78 he pulled off "a string of top class saves" according to the Thanet Times' report on a 2-1 win at Dorchester. However later that month he damaged his hamstring and missed four games as a result. In December 1978 Steve was involved in a car accident but fortunately escaped injury. He'd made 32 appearances when he left the club in March 1979 and joined Dulwich Hamlet. In total Steve had made almost 300 appearances for Margate.

During his time at Dulwich Steve ended up in court following an incident in a match against St.Albans. He'd been verbally abused throughout the game and after the final whistle Steve allegedly vaulted the fence and hit somebody but unfortunately it wasn't the person who'd been goading him. Steve was arrested in the changing rooms but when the matter ended up in court he was found not guilty and the FA also took no action against him.

Early in the 1982/83 season Steve left Dulwich to join Woking - he'd made 164 appearances for the club. In January 1983 he returned to Southern League football when he joined Fisher Athletic. Ironically Steve made his debut for the club in a 2-0 win against Thanet United at Hartsdown on 29.1.83. He went on to spend several seasons at Fisher and won Southern League Championship and Cup winners medals with them.

Steve retired in 1987 and became Fisher's coach, he also had a spell as the club's caretaker manager during the 1988/89 season.

By 2004 he was running a video shop in Bethnal Green, London and in October 2012 Steve watched Leyton Orient's match with Coventry as a guest of the club. He was presented to supporters on the pitch at half time along with numerous other O's players from their 1969/70 Division Three winning squad including former Margate manager Tommy Taylor. At that time Steve was retired and still living in Bethnal Green.

His son Stacey was born during Steve's time with Margate and he also became a goalkeeper. Stacey played for clubs including Romford, Barkingside, Lingfield during the 2000's and was also a prominent DJ.