Editing Robbie Fowler (section)

=== Manchester City ===
In the [[2002–03 in English football|2002–03 season]], Fowler was transferred to [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] following a protracted transfer saga. Fowler initially turned down the move and a dispute between Manchester City manager [[Kevin Keegan]] and chairman [[David Bernstein (executive)|David Bernstein]] over whether the transfer should take place due to medical concerns resulted in Bernstein leaving the club.<ref>{{cite web | title= The costly truth about Fowler| work=[[Manchester Evening News]] | date=30 September 2004 | url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/comment-the-costly-truth-about-fowler-1123464 |access-date=4 December 2013}}</ref> Following encouragement from Keegan, Fowler finally signed for Manchester City on 16 January 2003 for an initial fee of £3 million and a further £3 million dependent upon appearances.<ref name="MEN factfile"/> Bizarre transfer conditions meant Leeds United still paid a significant proportion of Fowler's wages.<ref>{{cite news |title=New Leeds chairman uncovers fishy past |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2003/may/21/sport.comment1 |access-date=4 December 2013 |location=London |first=Dominic |last=Fifield |date=21 May 2003}}</ref> Fowler made his Manchester City debut against [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]] on 1 February 2003,<ref>{{cite news |title=Baggies grab vital victory |publisher=BBC Sport |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/2694025.stm |access-date=13 September 2008 |date=11 February 2003}}</ref> but made a poor start to his Manchester City career, scoring just two goals in the remainder of the season.

Fowler continued to struggle with fitness problems in the [[2003–04 in English football|2003–04 season]], completing the full 90 minutes only nine times, however, he did score against his old club, Liverpool, in a 2–2 draw at home. The arrival of close friend Steve McManaman from [[Real Madrid C.F.|Real Madrid]] gave Fowler hope, but the pair failed to rekindle their prolific partnership from their time at Liverpool, and received criticism from the fans and tabloids for their salaries and alleged excesses;<ref>{{cite news |title=Spice Boy grows up |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2004/sep/21/sport.comment3 |access-date=4 December 2013 |location=London |first=Stephen |last=Moss |date=21 September 2004}}</ref> they were named and shamed in a [[sex scandal]] covered by the ''[[News of the World]]''<ref>{{cite news |title=Nothing new about ugly sex |first=Germaine |last=Greer |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2003/dec/16/sport.comment1 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=16 December 2003 |access-date=4 December 2013}}</ref> that year.

Despite the slump, Fowler rallied for the following campaign, and showed a marked improvement in the second half of the [[2004–05 in English football|2004–05 season]], scoring his 150th Premiership goal in the 3–2 win over [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]] on 28 February 2005. However, his failure to convert a 90th-minute penalty kick against [[Middlesbrough F.C.|Middlesbrough]]'s [[Mark Schwarzer]] in the final game of the season prevented Manchester City from gaining a place in the [[UEFA Europa League|UEFA Cup]].<ref>{{cite news | title= City pay the penalty for Fowler miss | work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2359695/City-pay-the-penalty-for-Fowler-miss.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2359695/City-pay-the-penalty-for-Fowler-miss.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=13 September 2008 | location=London | first=Tim | last=Rich | date=16 May 2005}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Despite this, Fowler ended the season as the club's joint top goal scorer and gained the approval of the fans, finishing in the top three in the fans' Player of the Year poll.<ref>{{cite book |last=James |first=Gary |title=Manchester City – The Complete Record |publisher=Breedon |location=Derby |year=2006 |isbn=1-85983-512-0 |page=504 }}</ref> Fowler later described this as "one of the proudest achievements of my career".<ref>Fowler, p. 347.</ref>

Fowler had injury problems at the start of the [[2005–06 in English football|2005–06 season]] and rarely featured when fit, making just two substitute appearances in the first four months of the season. His first start of the season came against [[Scunthorpe United F.C.|Scunthorpe United]] in the FA Cup on 7 January 2006, in which he scored a hat-trick.<ref>{{cite news | title= Man City 3–1 Scunthorpe | publisher=BBC Sport | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/4565242.stm|access-date=13 September 2008 | date=7 January 2006}}</ref> The following week he scored Manchester City's third goal in their 3–1 win against local rivals Manchester United after coming on as a substitute. However, Fowler made only one more appearance for Manchester City before returning to Liverpool on a free transfer.<ref>{{cite news | title= Liverpool make shock Fowler swoop | publisher=BBC Sport | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/4655944.stm|access-date=13 September 2008 | date=27 January 2006}}</ref>