Vinnie Bowman

DOB: 23rd April 2007

Position: Striker

Season of first appearance: 2023/24

Season of last appearance: 2024/25

Full Appearances: 3

Substitute: 16

Goals: 4

Also played for:

Heybridge Swifts, Herne Bay, Hollands & Blair

Player Profile:

Local lad who spent some time living in Australia as a child where he played for Brisbane Strikers.

Vinnie, a pupil of Herne Bay High School, came through Margate’s youth ranks. He started 2023-24 playing in Maidstone’s Under 18 team but then joined Margate’s Under 23 squad.

He soon became involved in the first-team and made his debut as a 74th minute sub in a 2-0 FA Cup defeat at Chesham United on 30.9.2023.

Vinnie scored his first goal for Margate – and became the club’s joint youngest ever goalscorer at 16 years, seven months and 12 days (Robbie Summers had scored at exactly the same age in 1994) – with a first half strike in a 3-1 Isthmian League Cup defeat at Whitehawk on 5.12.2023. It was the first time he had started a Margate game.

It was an exciting season for Vinnie as he had trials with Millwall and West Ham – the club he supports. Manager Mark Stimson told Kent Online: “The kid is very young, a lot of growing to do in his body, but he is a decent size and he knows where the goal is. I am not surprised the pro clubs are looking at him.”

He also scored further goals for Margate’s first-team. On 27.1.2024, he scored in a 4-2 Isthmian League defeat at Lewes.

His next goal came on 2.3.2024 at home to Horsham. He told Margate’s website: "I was meant to have a game with Millwall that morning, but the game was called off. Me and my mates decided to go and watch the Margate game instead and the manager Mark Stimson called me up on the train about 45 minutes before kick-off. He said 'get down here, you’re gonna play’. I got there late, most of the warm-ups had already finished, it was such a hectic day, I hadn't even eaten, so I ate like six apples in the changing room. To be honest, I was just happy that I'd be playing."

He came on as a sub on 72 minutes and had scored a minute after coming on the pitch. The match finished 3-1 to Horsham.

Vinnie also scored in Margate’s final match of the campaign, a 5-3 defeat at Billericay on 27.4.2024. He finished the season with four goals from 16 appearances (13 of those as a sub).

Vinnie made three sub appearances for Margate at the start of 2024-25 but did not feature again and in October it was announced he had signed for Heybridge Swifts. Bowman's family are West Ham fans and the Swifts were managed by former Hammers icon Julian Dicks.

Towards the end of the season, Vinnie appeared for Herne Bay. He started 2025-26 with SCEFL side Hollands & Blair.