Very angry Downing

He got 2 goals and 1 assist in his last season with us from 24 starts and 14 sub appearances. These stats alone would be reason enough to not renew a contract, the right decision was definitely made.

During the whole of the 4 seasons of his second spell he scored 9 goals and had 16 assists in 128 starts and 27 sub appearances. He was neat and tidy and didn’t lose possession but he was in the team as a creative player and didn’t create enough, regularly 6 out of 10.

If you were to pick the best 5 players from our promotion team he would be nowhere near, he might not have even made a best XI of that season with Stuani, Adomah and Ramirez to shoe horn in alongside Clayton and Leadbetter in midfield. That was arguably his best season for us too!
 
He could have left on a free and the club persuaded him that we would be investing in the team shooting for Europe etc.. he signed it and then they wanted him out of the door (agreed a fee with Tottenham) then the banks closed ranks and said any fee we received would be not be allowed to be spent on players. We pulled the plug on the deal (including a swap deal with all their waifs and strays.. Southgate asked for Gareth Bale but it was never a goer) then he had an injury but the club still managed to cash in. He fancied playing for a top team in the prem but always had it in his mind to return at his peak later on in his career.

We signed him under Karanka (who made it clear he didn't want him) when he wasn't playing the club blocked a premier ship move for him and kept him on the bench. There was booing from the fans and Downing took it very personally as he loved the club and is a supporter himself. The deal he had was regained on and even after signing a clause to play more games outside of his contract (the club promised a coaching progression) they left him on the scrap heap once again.

Say what you want about the lad, but he had always had the interests of the club at the forefront and even sacrificed progression of his career to keep the boro right.

He should have been left to go to Spurs the first time round in my opinion, if Karanka didn't want him we shouldn't have signed him and when the opportunity came for him to leave.. we shouldn't have stood in his way. I remember him as a kid in pally park being so talented and confident saying it would be his dream to play for some big clubs and come back to boro a hero at his peak. No word of a lie, he was mint and had everything set out from him being a kid. Never met anyone so focused and sure about what they wanted. He was screwed over by his agent (who was gazza's agent I believe) and also screwed over by the club.

I've seen him on the bench itching to get on then being gutted when Karanka wanted him to play left back, i've seen a fan booing when he was substituted and kicking of with the fan out of pure frustration. All he wanted to do was give his all for the team and honestly.. be a boro legend.
 
there was talk of him being player/coach under Woodgate doing his badges etc and still playing. from what robbie keane brought to the table... I don't think that would have been such a bad idea.
 
Downing was great in his first spell and I always backed him 100% on here. I would always shake his hand and say thank you for the 2004 to 2009 games. but a different player in his second spell where his impact was very average, but not his pay according to posters on here.

When we were relegated in 2009 he was allowed to leave to go to Villa which helped his career. OK for a decent fee. but the club never made it awkward for him, unlike Grealish at Villa who did what ever they could to keep him when they were relegated.

He averaged 2 goals a season in his second spell as an attacking wide player. Lewis Wing got 2 goals on Saturday (2? games this season) and Marvin Johnson has already bagged 4 as a wing back in 18? games.

Was the new contract promise based on Boro getting promotion i.e. we will offer you a contract if you help us get promoted? His statement can be read in different ways. We need to know how it was phrased verbally.
 
I won’t claim to know the facts but the quotes match what I was told by people close to him at different times during his last season with us.
 
I'm glad he left, though if he's telling the truth about Gibson, it's a bit shady how that panned out ...

He was gash in his second stint here anyway, particularly the last season. Given his wages and poor stats in last season, it's not hugely surprising Gibson wanted him off the books ..

We could've ended up with Downing as manager instead of Colin .. thank God :D ;)
 
People go on about wages and say " it was the club that offered that money". Yes that's true and it's also true that we may never know exactly what was on the table.
That said, there's a reasonable expectation that the performances will match what the player expects to be paid (otherwise the club wouldn't be paying it).
So, yes, wages are, imv, a factor.
 
buffaloboro said:
People go on about wages and say " it was the club that offered that money". Yes that's true and it's also true that we may never know exactly what was on the table.
That said, there's a reasonable expectation that the performances will match what the player expects to be paid (otherwise the club wouldn't be paying it).
So, yes, wages are, imv, a factor.
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you can't pay a player and treat him like crap, play him out of position and expect the wage to do the talking on the pitch
 
Laughing said:
It's a shabby way to do business with anyone Coluka. I expect open honesty in my dealings with people in both business and my personal life.

It may be he has given a biased account, but people saying the truth lies somewhere in the middle.... The middle of what. Why would you assume he is lying.

People berrating Downing I just don't get, one of the best players to ever pull on a boro shirt.
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you could equally say, why would you assume Gibson went back on his word?
Of course the truth will likely be somewhere in between. Downing isn’t going to turn around and say I was happy to take a pay cut but still expected 20k a week etc when he was worth about 5. Even if it is true, That waiver took a long time to sign so downing was clearly only in it for himself and basically refused without some kind of agreement, he wasn’t confident his performances would be enough to get a new deal and let’s face it his previous four years of performances were average with the odd glimmer at best.
Pulis might of wanted him to stay but he was leaving anyway. It might of been tied to Pulis staying that he got to stay. We don’t know for sure but Id rather trust the owner than downing.
 
Priv said:
you could equally say, why would you assume Gibson went back on his word?
Of course the truth will likely be somewhere in between. Downing isn’t going to turn around and say I was happy to take a pay cut but still expected 20k a week etc when he was worth about 5. Even if it is true, That waiver took a long time to sign so downing was clearly only in it for himself and basically refused without some kind of agreement, he wasn’t confident his performances would be enough to get a new deal and let’s face it his previous four years of performances were average with the odd glimmer at best.
Pulis might of wanted him to stay but he was leaving anyway. It might of been tied to Pulis staying that he got to stay. We don’t know for sure but Id rather trust the owner than downing.
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Downing was disappointing when he came back and certainly didn’t justify the wages.

I’m glad he wasn’t kept on as another crony with Woodgate.

However ,what he says sounds plausible to me and seems to fit with the situation in his last season.

It underlines for me just how badly Gibson runs things at the club.
 
Downing was a fantastic player for MFC .................. in his first spell. But a complete disappointment in his second. It's clear that SD is a Teessider through and through and sees it. rightly, as his home but alas the life of footballers is nomadic. The last thing we want is ex-players treating it as some comfy 'retirement village' so they can come home and wind down. Won't pretend to know what went on with him, Woodgate and Karanka but I suspect it wasn't conducive to a good working environment, maybe that was in Gibson's mind, after all he had to step in and sort it out. That said why the hell did he then appoint Woodgate as manager? Sometimes I think some of the raffles that Gibson and MFC get into are because his decisions aren't hard headed enough where MFC is concerned.

As for his comment about the fans, well that's just utterly churlish (churlish (adj): rude in a mean-spirited and surly way). Fans obviously considered his overall contribution to the club through time and also his successful career in football worthy of applause and appreciation, I certainly did. But he's just chucked it back in their faces instead of appreciating it for what it was which shines a light on his character and possibly some of his other comments. He comes across as a bitter individual, maybe this is his way at getting back at SG 'cos he sacked his utterly useless brother-in-law. Good riddance.
 
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chickenrunner said:
Downing was a fantastic player for MFC .................. in his first spell. But a complete disappointment in his second. It's clear that SD is a Teessider through and through and sees it. rightly, as his home but alas the life of footballers is nomadic. The last thing we want is ex-players treating it as some comfy 'retirement village' so they can come home and wind down. Won't pretend to know what went on with him, Woodgate and Karanka but I suspect it wasn't conducive to a good working environment, maybe that was in Gibson's mind, after all he had to step in and sort it out. That said why the hell did he then appoint Woodgate as manger? Sometimes I think some of the raffles that Gibson and MFC get into are because his decisions aren't hard headed enough where MFC is concerned.

As for his comment about the fans, well that's just utterly churlish (churlish (adj): rude in a mean-spirited and surly way). Fans obviously considered his overall contribution to the club through time and also his successful career in football worthy of applause and appreciation, I certainly did. But he's just chucked it back in their faces instead of appreciating it for what it was which shines a light on his character and possibly some of his other comments. He comes across as a bitter individual, maybe this is his way at getting back at SG 'cos he sacked his utterly useless brother-in-law. Good riddance.
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Agree !
 
newyddion said:
He could have left on a free and the club persuaded him that we would be investing in the team shooting for Europe etc.. he signed it and then they wanted him out of the door (agreed a fee with Tottenham) then the banks closed ranks and said any fee we received would be not be allowed to be spent on players. We pulled the plug on the deal (including a swap deal with all their waifs and strays.. Southgate asked for Gareth Bale but it was never a goer) then he had an injury but the club still managed to cash in. He fancied playing for a top team in the prem but always had it in his mind to return at his peak later on in his career.

We signed him under Karanka (who made it clear he didn't want him) when he wasn't playing the club blocked a premier ship move for him and kept him on the bench. There was booing from the fans and Downing took it very personally as he loved the club and is a supporter himself. The deal he had was regained on and even after signing a clause to play more games outside of his contract (the club promised a coaching progression) they left him on the scrap heap once again.

Say what you want about the lad, but he had always had the interests of the club at the forefront and even sacrificed progression of his career to keep the boro right.

He should have been left to go to Spurs the first time round in my opinion, if Karanka didn't want him we shouldn't have signed him and when the opportunity came for him to leave.. we shouldn't have stood in his way. I remember him as a kid in pally park being so talented and confident saying it would be his dream to play for some big clubs and come back to boro a hero at his peak. No word of a lie, he was mint and had everything set out from him being a kid. Never met anyone so focused and sure about what they wanted. He was screwed over by his agent (who was gazza's agent I believe) and also screwed over by the club.

I've seen him on the bench itching to get on then being gutted when Karanka wanted him to play left back, i've seen a fan booing when he was substituted and kicking of with the fan out of pure frustration. All he wanted to do was give his all for the team and honestly.. be a boro legend.
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Well documented sir.
Excellent post.(y)(y)(y)
 
Fans are being fans - fair enough.
And, for the record Downing‘s part in Boro folklore will be remembered fondly.

Players kiss their badge and the fans love them, At the same time their agents are trying to get them a new club with more money.
Others almost down tools to get a move.
Most treat the clubs as their gravy train.

Chairmen have tough decisions to make. Most of us believe Downing had been on a ’lucrative’ contact late in his career and that career was coming to an end. SG made a call not to renew. We should have no problem with that.

The ‘we shook on it’ stuff is Downing’s recollection and we will probably never know. It’s not nice, if true, but the football business isn’t either.
 
coluka said:
Now, where have I said it wasn’t shabby or Downing was lying, thats a bit misleading of you is it not? I could have sworn I said I did not like the waiver issue. However, if you think Gibson was wrong to put the club before the player despite his own mistake then what would you have thought of him then had the club contractually have given him a contract they could not afford? He got himself and the club out of a hole of his own making.

I doubt Gibson believed the club would be where it was at the time he signed the deal. Plenty of players have done the dirty on Boro allegedly over the years. It is how business operates. It is rarely personal, circumstances changed over the period of the contract, Gibson reacted to the change, a bit like my hero Juninho did in 97.
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The second line of the post wasn't aimed at you coluka, that's why it started with "some people". Only the first line was a response to your post.
 
Priv said:
you could equally say, why would you assume Gibson went back on his word?
Of course the truth will likely be somewhere in between. Downing isn’t going to turn around and say I was happy to take a pay cut but still expected 20k a week etc when he was worth about 5. Even if it is true, That waiver took a long time to sign so downing was clearly only in it for himself and basically refused without some kind of agreement, he wasn’t confident his performances would be enough to get a new deal and let’s face it his previous four years of performances were average with the odd glimmer at best.
Pulis might of wanted him to stay but he was leaving anyway. It might of been tied to Pulis staying that he got to stay. We don’t know for sure but Id rather trust the owner than downing.
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My point Priv is we have only one account, no one has refuted the article. I assume Gibson went back on his word because ALL the evidence we have says he did just that. Trust the owner all you want, there is NO evidence to suggest Gibson did anything other than what Downing says.

On the subject of the waiver, why would or should Downing sign it without some personal benefit? You can't argue football is a business without applying the same logic to the players thought process.

Some of the abuse Downing get's, for example : he was gash, is juvenile and shows how myopic some folks are. More importantly it is abusive and insulting and if aimed consistently at a poster on here, the offender would be banned. It saddens me that some people behave like that - not neccessarily you Priv.
 
Downing said - "It got to a point when there were about 10 games to go and Pulis said to me, 'if you sign this waiver, the club will offer you something in the summer'. Steve Gibson literally promised me, we had a meeting and he said ‘if you sign this waiver to play the last eight games to try and get us promoted, I’ll offer you something in the summer – a reduced contract’.

Downing continued: “I said right, we shook hands, I signed the waiver, played in the last eight games, and then (CEO) Neil Bausor rang me and said 'you’re free to speak to other clubs, you can leave'."

So the key words are - 'sign the waiver to play the last eight games to try and get us promoted".

Boro were not promoted, and I'm pretty sure that the club would say that the deal was contingent on being promoted.

The MFC statement on this would say "extension if you sign the waiver AND get us promoted".
 
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