| Intro | English professional footballer |
| A.K.A. | Keith Stephen Lowe |
| Is |
Athlete Football player Association football player |
| From | United Kingdom |
| Type | Sports |
| Gender | male |
| Birth | 13 September 1985, Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, West Midlands |
| Age: | 34 years |
Keith Stephen Lowe (born 13 September 1985) is an English semi-professional footballer who plays as a defender for National League North club Kidderminster Harriers.
A Wolverhampton Wanderers academy graduate, between 2005 and 2008 he was loaned out seven times: Burnley, Queens Park Rangers, Swansea City, Brighton & Hove Albion, Cheltenham Town (twice) and Port Vale. He then dropped out of the Football League to spend the 2008–09 season as a Kidderminster Harriers player. He then spent a season with Hereford United, before signing with Cheltenham Town in 2010. He was voted Cheltenham’s Player of the Year in 2011. He joined League Two club York City, initially on loan, in November 2013. In January 2016, he rejoined Kidderminster Harriers.
Career
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Born in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, Lowe was a product of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ academy, and came through to make his first-team debut on 23 August 2004, in a 4–2 win at Rochdale in the League Cup. He signed his first professional contract in November 2004, however he was unable to claim a regular first-team place at Molineux and was first loaned out to Burnley at the start of the 2005–06 season. Following his return in December 2005, he joined Queens Park Rangers on a one-month loan in February 2006, After playing just one QPR match, he had rather more success at Swansea City in March 2006, playing six matches in all, and winning the Football League Trophy. Lowe played all ninety minutes of the 2006 Football League Trophy Final, as Swansea beat Carlisle United 2–1.
He started 2006–07 on loan at Brighton & Hove Albion, without making an appearance. A two-month loan spell with Cheltenham Town started in September 2006, they appreciated him so much that he was invited back to spend the 2007 end of the season with them.
Lowe spent the whole of 2007–08 with Port Vale and made 31 appearances as the club suffered relegation out of League One in 23rd place.
Kidderminster Harriers
In May 2008, Lowe was released by his parent club. He subsequently signed for Conference Premier team Kidderminster Harriers and played 52 matches in 2008–09 before being released due to budgetary concerns.
Hereford United
In May 2009, he signed with League Two club Hereford United, but was released at the end of 2009–10 after making 25 appearances.
Cheltenham Town
Lowe joined Cheltenham Town permanently in June 2010, becoming the club’s first choice right back before his season was prematurely ended by an ankle injury in the home defeat to Gillingham on 27 March 2011. His consistency endeared him to the Cheltenham fans who named him as their Player of the Year for 2010–11. An appearance clause in his contract also ensured he would remain at the club until summer 2012. He made 31 league appearances in 2011–12 to help Mark Yates’ team book a place in the League Two play-off places. He was an unused substitute in the final at Wembley Stadium, as Cheltenham lost 2–0 to Crewe Alexandra.
York City
On 21 November 2013, Lowe joined League Two rivals York City on an initial loan until January 2014, with a view to a permanent transfer. He made his debut two days later in a 2–1 defeat away to Southend United, and made nine appearances for York before signing permanently on 7 January 2014 on a two-and-a-half-year contract for an undisclosed fee. The Press voted him ‘Press Player of the Year’ in 2013–14.
Lowe played in 49 of York’s 50 matches in 2014–15, missing just the one League Cup match. He was voted by York supporters as the club’s Clubman of the Year for 2014–15. Having earlier been made available for loan under new manager Jackie McNamara, Lowe left York by mutual consent on 9 December 2015.
Return to Kidderminster Harriers
On 12 January 2016, Lowe rejoined Kidderminster Harriers, now bottom of the National League, until the end of 2015–16. He made his debut when starting their 1–0 home defeat to Guiseley on 23 January 2016. He scored two goals in 20 appearances as Kidderminster were relegated in 23rd place.
Style of play
Lowe is renowned for his clean play. In the first 167 appearances of his career the defender received just one yellow card – given to him on 17 March 2006 whilst with Swansea. However, he picked up two further bookings in 2010–11.
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2004–05 | Championship | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 13 | 0 | |
| 2005–06 | Championship | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2006–07 | Championship | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2007–08 | Championship | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
| Burnley (loan) | 2005–06 | Championship | 16 | 0 | — | 2 | 1 | — | 18 | 1 | ||
| Queens Park Rangers (loan) | 2005–06 | Championship | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Swansea City (loan) | 2005–06 | League One | 4 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
| Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | 2006–07 | League One | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Cheltenham Town (loan) | 2006–07 | League One | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 1 |
| Port Vale (loan) | 2007–08 | League One | 28 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 3 |
| Kidderminster Harriers | 2008–09 | Conference Premier | 43 | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | 52 | 4 | |
| Hereford United | 2009–10 | League Two | 19 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 25 | 1 |
| Cheltenham Town | 2010–11 | League Two | 36 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 1 |
| 2011–12 | League Two | 31 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 39 | 1 | |
| 2012–13 | League Two | 31 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 37 | 5 | |
| 2013–14 | League Two | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 1 | |
| Total | 111 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 133 | 8 | ||
| York City | 2013–14 | League Two | 30 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 32 | 1 | ||
| 2014–15 | League Two | 46 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 6 | |
| 2015–16 | League Two | 16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 1 | |
| Total | 92 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 101 | 8 | ||
| Kidderminster Harriers | 2015–16 | National League | 20 | 2 | — | — | — | 20 | 2 | |||
| 2016–17 | National League North | 30 | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | 3 | 1 | 37 | 3 | ||
| Total | 50 | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | 3 | 1 | 57 | 5 | |||
| Career total | 393 | 28 | 22 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 28 | 2 | 457 | 31 | ||
Honours
Swansea City
- Football League Trophy: 2005–06
Individual
- Cheltenham Town Player of the Year: 2010–11
- York City Clubman of the Year: 2014–15