Ryan McGowan, born on 15 August 1989 in Australia, currently adorns the number 5 jersey as a central defender for Livingston. Standing at an intimidating stature of 6ft 3in (1.91m) and weighing 11st 11lb (75kg), McGowan is a presence not easily overlooked on the playing field. Transfermarkt values him at a modest £44,000.
McGowan's professional football journey began in Scotland with Hearts in the Premiership back in January 2008. His first season saw him barely getting a look-in, making a single first-team appearance in league matches. This figure exponentially grew in the following seasons, presenting eight appearances in the 2010 - 2011 season, 28 in 2011 - 2012 and 20 in 2012 - 2013.
A detour on loan to Ayr United in the Championship and then Partick Thistle during the 2009 - 2010 and the 2010 - 2011 seasons respectively, provided McGowan additional playing time.
In January 2013, a distant call from China's Shandong Taishan in the Super League saw the Aussie-defender being transferred for a fee of around £400k. With 46 first team appearances and scoring twice over the seasons 2013 and 2014.
Circa January 2015, McGowan returned to Scotland but this time to play in the Premiership for Dundee United. Following that, his career took him again to China, UAE and finally England's Bradford City, from where he was loaned to Dundee in Scotland.
McGowan then opted to return to his roots down-under to play for Sydney FC in the A-League in July 2019. His contribution was immediate and hard to ignore, commanding a regular spot in the first team as he made a combined total of 48 appearances over the course of two seasons.
A brief sojourn in the Kuwait First Division with Al Kuwait preceded a return to Scottish football. This time around, McGowan signed up with the Championship side, St Johnstone, earning a regular spot in the starting lineup over the seasons 2022 - 2023 and 2023 - 2024.
McGowan's latest career move has brought him to Livingston in the Premiership, where he has been a key figure in the heart of defence since the 2024 - 2025 season. By the current season (2025 - 2026), he has made 16 league appearances. His adaptability and resilience have seen him contribute to Livingston's campaigns in the League Cup, Scottish Cup, and Premiership Play-offs.
