Editing Robbie Fowler (section)

==== Spice Boys ====
Fowler was part of a group of Liverpool players from the mid-1990s who were dubbed "The [[Spice Boys (footballers)|Spice Boys]]" by the press following a series of off-field controversies.<ref name=spice/> The term was subsequently used in a derogatory manner, implying Fowler and colleagues such as [[Jamie Redknapp]], [[Stan Collymore]], [[David James (footballer, born 1970)|David James]] and Steve McManaman were underachieving playboys.<ref name=spice/> The name had been coined due to rumours that Fowler was dating [[Emma Bunton]] of the [[Spice Girls]].<ref name=spice>{{cite news |last1=Hughes |first1=Simon |title=Liverpool's Spice Boys |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/1681697/2020/03/24/spice-boys-liverpool-redknapp-scales-fowler-mcmanaman/ |access-date=3 September 2024 |work=The New York Times |date=24 March 2020}}</ref> Fowler said that his successful career to that point had been "dismissed with contempt by those two tiny words".<ref name=spice/>

Liverpool were top of the Premier League by Christmas 1996, with three defeats in the first half of the season. By the end of January, they had been leapfrogged by [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]], who remained top for the rest of the season, while Liverpool finished 4th.<ref>{{cite news |title=1996/97 Season Review |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/693498 |access-date=3 September 2024 |publisher=Premier League |date=24 May 2018}}</ref>

Fowler showed support for the [[Liverpool dockers' strike (1995–98)|Liverpool dockers' strike]] during a [[goal celebration]] in a UEFA Cup games against [[SK Brann]] in March 1997 where he unveiled a t-shirt which incorporated the [[Calvin Klein]] "CK" into the word doCKer.<ref>{{cite news |title=Football: Fowler fined for show of support |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-fowler-fined-for-show-of-support-1275535.html |access-date=10 October 2018 |work=The Independent}}</ref> He was fined £900 by [[UEFA]] and criticised by manager Roy Evans for the gesture.<ref>{{cite news |title=Playing politics |url=https://www.wsc.co.uk/the-archive/playing-politics/ |access-date=3 September 2024 |work=[[When Saturday Comes]] |date=May 1997}}</ref>

Fowler's performance in the [[1997–98 in English football|1997–98 football season]] was marred by an anterior cruciate (knee) ligament injury that kept him out of action for half of the season and caused him to miss the [[FIFA World Cup 1998|1998 World Cup]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2310838/Fowler-searches-in-vain-for-fitting-end.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2310838/Fowler-searches-in-vain-for-fitting-end.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Fowler searches in vain for fitting end |work=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=23 August 2007 |location=London |first=Tim |last=Rich |date=12 April 2007}}{{cbignore}}</ref> During this period of injury, fellow Liverpool striker, [[Michael Owen]] rose to prominence, making his debut in 1997. Owen established himself in the Liverpool team in Fowler's absence and played alongside him when Fowler regained his fitness.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Steinberg |first1=Jacob |title=The Joy of Six: the best of Michael Owen |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/oct/06/the-joy-of-six-the-best-of-michael-owen |access-date=3 September 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=6 October 2017}}</ref>

In 1999, Fowler was fined £60,000 by his club for bringing the game into disrepute. While [[Goal celebration|celebrating his goal]] against Liverpool's [[Merseyside]] rivals, Everton, Fowler used the white line of the [[Penalty area (football)|penalty area]] to simulate [[cocaine]] use.<ref name="MEN factfile"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Prankster Faces Suspension |work=The New York Times |date=7 April 1999 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/04/07/sports/plus-soccer-england-prankster-faces-suspension.html }}</ref> Liverpool manager [[Gérard Houllier]] stated that this was a [[Cameroon]]ian grass-eating celebration, learnt from teammate [[Rigobert Song]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Allsop |first=Derik |title=Football: Houllier defence is the real joke |work=[[The Independent]] |date=5 April 1999 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-houllier-defence-is-the-real-joke-1085242.html |location=London}}</ref> Defending himself, Fowler later said this was a response to Everton fans who had insulted him with false accusations of [[Recreational drug use|drug abuse]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Robbie Fowler explains why he'll never regret THAT celebration against Everton |url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/robbie-fowler-explains-why-hell-never-regret-that-celebration-against-everton |access-date=3 September 2024 |work=FourFourTwo |date=29 April 2020}}</ref> Fowler received a six-match ban from [[The Football Association|the FA]] in April 1999, with four matches for this celebration. Fowler also received a two-match suspension for making alleged [[homophobic]] gestures towards Chelsea's [[Graeme Le Saux]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Fowler given six-match ban |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/315511.stm |access-date=3 September 2024 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=9 April 1999}}</ref>