Dave Bowen: Bust of Northampton Town and Wales great to be unveiled

A bust of Bowen will be unveiled before Northampton Town's League Two match with Cheltenham on Sunday

The achievements of a football club's greatest manager will be honoured by the unveiling of a sculpture.

Dave Bowen took Northampton Town from Division Four to the club's only season in the top flight of English football during the 1960s.

Bowen, who died in 1995, aged 67, was also a Welsh international, captaining them at their only World Cup finals appearance in 1958.

A bust of Bowen will be revealed at Sixfields Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

He also made 146 appearances for Arsenal and later served as a club secretary and president at Northampton.

The unveiling, ahead of Northampton's League Two match with Cheltenham Town, will take place outside the main entrance to the stadium.

"This will be a permanent and lasting tribute to one of the most important figures in the history of the club," said the club's chief executive James Whiting.

Bowen's son, Barry Bowen, said: "We hope this tribute will mean as much to the fans as it does to the family."

Player, manager - and more

Dave Bowen managed Northampton Town in their only season in the top flight of English football

Dave Bowen was born in Maesteg, Bridgend, in 1928 and played for Northampton Town, Arsenal and Wales, winning 19 caps for his country and captaining them at the 1958 World Cup finals.

He went on to manage Northampton and Wales, guiding the Cobblers into Division One for the 1965-66 season - to date, their only campaign in the top flight of English football.

During the club's climb through the divisions they won the Division Three title in 1962-63 and were Division Two runners-up in 1964-65.

He also presided over Northampton's famous 8-2 defeat to Manchester United in the 1969-70 FA Cup, in which George Best scored six times.

After retiring from management in 1974, Bowen served in a range of other roles at Northampton, including general manager, club secretary and director.