From scoring drugs to scoring goals
Bromley artist Mark McGowan, also known as The Artist Taxi Driver, is having an extraordinary football exhibition of his retro SHOOT football magazines and his collection of football shirts, at a show that will include poems and stories of his footballing exploits.
Aged 61, and having already scored 54 goals so far this season, while playing four times a week for four different teams, Mark’s obsession and addiction to football resurfaced after experiencing mental health issues, and now he puts everything into scoring goals. He says, ‘I love scoring goals, I love running out onto a pitch to play football, you can’t get any higher than the feeling that volleying in a winner gives me, not even with narcotics! I’ve gone from scoring drugs to scoring goals and the football gives me a better buzz.’
Mark did a few keepsie-upsies while I asked what will bring people other than his art fans to this exhibition: ‘My Shoot magazine collection must be seen – it is amazing – you don’t need to like art to see Kevin Keegan, Gordon McQueen, Steve Coppell, Liam Brady, or Ray Wilkins in their heyday, and you won’t need to like football to enjoy my art.’
What about Jimmy Greaves, I wanted to know: ‘Of course, Greavesie will be there,’ he said while impressively keeping the ball up with his head. ‘There will be everyone from West Ham to Man Utd, Argentina to Ron Greenwood’s England, Celtic to Liverpool, Arsenal to Spurs, it’s gonna be amazing.’ He let the ball roll down his spine and over his shorts before backheeling it past the keeper Mark had been working on penalties with. ‘People have gotta come down and I promise they will get the same thrill out of football that I get.’
The 13th November launch night kicks off at 6pm and it’s free to get in.
Hit or Miss, 6 Chatterton Road, Bromley, BR2 9QN from 13th November 2025 until 13th January 2026.
