Fowler was in hot water for a controversial goal celebration that led to a four-match ban and a £32,000 fine, the largest dished out to a player at that time. The pretend coke-snorting celebration in front of Toffees supporters after netting in a 1999 Mersey derby is one of the most memorable moments of his career but now he has revealed that he regrets it.
At An Evening with Robbie Fowler in Congresbury, Somerset, Fowler spoke on the iconic moment which he received a lot of backlash from.
“I was accused of being on drugs for a number of years, which was ridiculous because I’m genuinely anti-drugs. And even nowadays, I still get a little bit of stick about being on drugs, being on cocaine or whatever.
“But I’m very anti-drugs and I’ve even had family members who have passed away through drugs so this was all very difficult to take.
“For me, it’s been completely wrong that I had to put up with these accusations because they were completely unfair.
“I was even having people writing on the wall outside our home that I was a smackhead or I was this or that. So, it got to a point where it was all really embarrassing.”
He then stated that the celebration was due to rumours spreading that he used drugs and that he even had family members asking if they were true.
“I’ll always remember my dad came up to me once and put me on the spot. He said, ‘Look son, I’m hearing all sorts of rumours that you’re on drugs, so tell me, are you or not?’
“I said, ‘Dad, I really can’t believe you’ve asked me that’ — and he apologised and said he’d never ask me that question again.
“This dragged on for a number of years until I finally thought, what can I do to combat it and stop the rumours?
“I knew the rumours were coming from Everton fans, so I thought to myself, next time we play them, if I score I’ll rub salt into wounds with a bit of mimicking.
Fowler wanted to get his own back and admitted that despite the major fine he would do it all again if he could.
“And it all fell into place. I scored a penalty right in front of them and next thing I was on my hands and knees to ram the rumours down their necks.
“Unfortunately, the whole thing ended up costing me £64,000. That’s a lot of money these days — but back then in 1999 it was a f***ing hell of a lot of money. It was just me getting my own back after getting so much stick from Everton fans.
“I wanted to wind them up. Do I regret it? No, I don’t. But I do regret the reaction it stirred because some people thought I was endorsing it by treating it lightly.
“It wasn’t to do with endorsing drugs at all — it was just to get back at those Everton fans. Would I do it again? If someone else was to pay my fine — yes, of course.”