Paul Downing (footballer)

Paul Downing
Personal information
Full namePaul Michael Downing
Date of birth26 October 1991
Place of birthTaunton, England
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Playing positionDefender
Club information
Current team
Walsall
Number6
Youth career
2007–2009West Bromwich Albion
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2009–2012West Bromwich Albion0(0)
2010→ Hereford United (loan)6(0)
2010–2011→ Rotherham United (loan)0(0)
2011→ Shrewsbury Town loan)0(0)
2011–2012→ Barnet (loan)26(0)
2012–Walsall100(3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:12, 17 January 2015 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).

Paul Michael Downing (born 26 October 1991) is an English footballer who is currently signed to Walsall[1] after being released by West Bromwich Albion as a defender. He is the nephew of former footballer and manager, and current assistant head coach of West Brom Keith Downing. His older brother Leigh was formerly at the West Brom academy as a scholar.[2]

Career

Downing was born in Taunton, and came through the youth ranks at West Brom, and is part of the club's development squad. He has signed a pro contract that lasts until June 2012, with an option of a further year in the club's favour.[3] He made the bench for a 0–0 draw against Blackburn in the Premier League on 24 May 2009.[4]

He went on a one-month loan deal to Hereford United on 25 January 2010, along with West Brom team mate Lateef Elford-Alliyu.[5] He was given the squad number 16, and made his debut on 2 February in a 2–0 win against Lincoln City at Edgar Street.[6] He was sent off on his final appearance, a 5–0 loss to eventual league winners Notts County on 27 February.[7] He made six appearances during his loan spell.[8]

On 25 November 2010 he signed on loan for Rotherham United until 4 January.[9] On 31 January 2011 he signed on loan for Shrewsbury Town, after making no appearances at Rotherham.[10] He made no appearances before returning to West Brom.[11]

On 3 November 2011 he signed on loan for League Two team Barnet, initially on a one-month deal.[12] He made his debut on 8 November in a 2–0 win in the Football League Trophy against Cheltenham Town.[13] On 17 November Barnet extended the loan deal to allow him to remain there until 2 January.[14] On 19 January 2012 the loan deal was extended again to allow him to remain at Barnet until 28 February.[15] On 29 February the loan deal was extended again, this time until the end of the season.[16] He was sent off for the second time in his career during a 1–1 draw with Rotherham on 3 March.[17]

When Downing returned to West Bromwich Albion at the end of the 2011–12 season the club announced that they were not offering him a new contract. On 24 May 2012, Downing was released after three years at the club, but never made an appearance. On 1 August 2012, he signed for League One team Walsall.[18] He made his debut on 1 September in a 2–2 draw against Brentford.[19]

Career Statistics

As of match played 7 March 2015.
Club statistics
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
West Bromwich Albion 2008–09[20] Premier League 000000—00
2011–12[21] Premier League 00—00—00
Total 000000—00
Hereford United (loan) 2009–10[22] League Two 60———60
Shrewsbury Town (loan) 2010–11[23] League Two 00———00
Barnet (loan) 2011–12[21] League Two 26020—4[lower-alpha 1]0320
Walsall 2012–13[24] League One 31100001[lower-alpha 1]0321
2013–14[25] League One 44120201[lower-alpha 1]0491
2014–15[26] League One 32120205[lower-alpha 1]0411
Total 10734040701223
Career total 139360401101603
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ "Assistant head coach" West Bromwich Albion F.C. 9 December 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  3. ↑ "West Bromwich Albion Team Profiles: Paul Downing" West Bromwich Albion F.C. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  4. ↑ "Blackburn 0–0 West Brom" West Bromwich Albion F.C. 24 May 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  5. ↑ "Hereford sign West Brom's Downing and Elford Alliyu" BBC Sport. 25 January 2010. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  6. ↑ "Hereford 2–0 Lincoln" BBC Sport. 2 February 2010. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  7. ↑ "Notts County 5–0 Hereford" BBC Sport. 27 February 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  8. ↑ "Paul Downing Football Stats Season 2009/2010" Soccerbase. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  9. ↑ "Rotherham sign Will Atkinson & Paul Downing" BBC Sport. 25 November 2010. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  10. ↑ "Shrewsbury sign Davis, Nicholls and Downing" BBC Sport. 31 January 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  11. ↑ "Paul Downing Football Stats" Soccerbase. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  12. ↑ "Barnet sign defenders Paul Downing and Michael Hector" BBC Sport. 3 November 2011. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  13. ↑ "Cheltenham 0–2 Barnet" BBC Sport. 8 November 2011. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  14. ↑ "Barnet extend Paul Downing loan deal from West Brom" BBC Sport. 17 November 2011. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  15. ↑ "Barnet extend deals of Alassane N'Diaye & Paul Downing" BBC Sport. 19 January 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  16. ↑ "Downing extends loan deal" Yahoo! Eurosport. 29 February 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  17. ↑ "Barnet 1–1 Rotherham" BBC Sport. 3 March 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  18. ↑ "Paul Downing & Connor Taylor sign one-year deals for Walsall" BBC Sport. 1 August 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  19. ↑ "Walsall 2–2 Brentford" BBC Sport. 1 September 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  20. ↑ "Games played by Paul Downing in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Games played by Paul Downing in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  22. ↑ "Games played by Paul Downing in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  23. ↑ "Games played by Paul Downing in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  24. ↑ "Games played by Paul Downing in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  25. ↑ "Games played by Paul Downing in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  26. ↑ "Games played by Romaine Sawyers in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Retrieved 9 March 2015.

External links