User:Gowan95

Gowan Stares (Born February 8th, 1995 in Eastbourne, England) is a New Zealand football player who currently plays for Team Wellington in the ASB Premiership.

Youth Career
Stares started off his youth career with West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook in Australia before moving to Wellington, New Zealand in January 2005. Stares joined Tawa AFC where he played in their junior set-up for two years. He then joined up with Porirua based club Western Suburbs FC where he progressed through the clubs youth ranks into the first team.

Stares was also a part of the Capital Kaizen Academy franchise coached by Stu Jacobs and a member of the Capital Football association for many years representing the City of Wellington.

Stares has been on trial before with English Premier League sides West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace whilst also trialing with English Championship side Brighton & Hove Albion. In June 2012 Stares relocated back to England from New Zealand joining Cheltenham Town's U19 youth development team for the 2012/2013 season.

Following his stint with Cheltenham Town, Stares spent nine months with the Pulse Premier Academy in Birmingham where he was selected to represent New Zealand at U19 level on an international tour to Doha, Qatar. Stares made his international debut against Qatar before earning further caps against Chile and Morocco. The young Kiwi is currently signed to Team Wellington.