Very angry Downing

Soutra said:
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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The key words are reduced contract. Which he was offered. Nothing.
 
Fantastic in his first spell.

Less so in his second spell, but I personally never thought he'd hit the same heights as his first spell. I did however think he'd do a bit better than he actually did in his 2nd spell.

As for the way MFC have apparently conducted themselves over this matter - I must say it's a little unprofessional.

I agree with Gibson in not offering Downing an extension or new contract, but not the way it was done.

Putting all this to one side, I'll still applaud Downing if/when he ever returns to 'Boro as he gave me some of my best memories as a 'Boro fan....he was one of the main reasons we got to the UEFA Cup final and enjoyed success in the league in that period.

Never ever understood why he was booed at times. I can only put it down to fans being absolutely pathetic and jealous.
 
I'm sure Gibson and the club have their side of events, but what Downing is saying sounds genuine and is shocking.

Having been through a similar situation this year myself, I completely belief what Downing is saying.

I was made redundant this year and was involved in getting the lads the best deal possible. The employers blantently lied to us and the Union during negotiations. It only became clear once 150 were out of jobs.
 
Soutra said:
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".
Click to expand...

The key words may be 'Pulis said the club said ....
Our Tony has a track record of telling porkies
 
Laughing said:
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.
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I get your point but their is also no evidence to say that he did do what downing is saying either. It works both ways.
 
coluka said:
M

Managers are managers, they do not have the say on contract terms, they also don't have a guaranteed veto on transfers, the owner has that privilege, Pulis in Downings words was embarrassed to do what he was employed to do, nothing more.
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I don't believe pulis has ever been embarrassed to do anything.
Gibson was cynically ruthless and hid behind his employee, which was in the short term interests of the club.
It leaves a smell for Rentokill to deal with, but he's better equipped to deal with their bill.
 
All management carry out the dirty work for employers it goes with the territory.
Players when they have the chance to push things beyond their means using an agent they will and do. Gibson never gets a player saying ` Here Steve take this few Bob back ` He will probably get done over more or less with every signing as we have had some expensive tripe signed over the years.

Gibson knows the real world is if we aren't doing well, players leave through contract clauses and supporters go part time or don't renew season tickets but will come back when it's good again. That's football In afraid.


That's football Downing was decent player for us and he's earned more than a few Bob from us. He got fixed up straight away at Blackburn so he's not been struggling for a crust.
I do understand him being bitter mind it's human nature.
 
indeedido said:
I don't believe pulis has ever been embarrassed to do anything.
Gibson was cynically ruthless and hid behind his employee, which was in the short term interests of the club.
It leaves a smell for Rentokill to deal with, but he's better equipped to deal with their bill.
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Oh yes, like I said, “In Downings words”

Gibson needed to be ruthless and I support his approach too at that time, on Downing. It was a business decision, one to correct many mistakes that were in truth of his own making anyway it seems. Like I said earlier if it was over someone from away, nobody would bat an eyelid and would cheer Gibson tbh
 
Soutra said:
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".
Click to expand...
That is a wrong interpretation both semantically and legally Soutra.
 
Laughing said:
That is a wrong interpretation both semantically and legally Soutra.
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Is it wrong? I spent my working life looking at contracts where what one guy said wasn't what he meant, or another guy interpreted it in a different way. When it's written down you can interpret it far more easily than two or more people recalling a conversation between them.
 
Soutra said:
Is it wrong? I spent my working life looking at contracts where what one guy said wasn't what he meant, or another guy interpreted it in a different way. When it's written down you can interpret it far more easily than two or more people recalling a conversation between them.
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No expert in contract law, but this has 3 clauses:

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

Sign the waiver
play the last eight games
try and get us promoted

There is no clause in that agreement that says it was dependent on promotion.

Admit it, if what Downing is saying is true, Gibson lied, or as wancock might say, mis-spoke. Furthermore had Gibson had any intention of honouring the agreement it would have been a written contract and not a verbal agreement that Gibson could later renage on.
 
I remember when this was happening and Downing was warming up near where I sit after his bench period began. He had a very long chat with Charlie Adam, also warming up. Looked very pee'd off and he was giving a few gesticulations along to the bench and director's area.
 
coluka said:
Oh yes, like I said, “In Downings words”

Gibson needed to be ruthless and I support his approach too at that time, on Downing. It was a business decision, one to correct many mistakes that were in truth of his own making anyway it seems. Like I said earlier if it was over someone from away, nobody would bat an eyelid and would cheer Gibson tbh
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Merry Christmas Coluka - top poster and good bloke
 
Laughing said:
No expert in contract law, but this has 3 clauses:

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

Sign the waiver
play the last eight games
try and get us promoted

There is no clause in that agreement that says it was dependent on promotion.

Admit it, if what Downing is saying is true, Gibson lied, or as wancock might say, mis-spoke. Furthermore had Gibson had any intention of honouring the agreement it would have been a written contract and not a verbal agreement that Gibson could later renage on.
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If those were the precise words then Downing is right.

If the words were "sign the waiver", "play the last eight games", and "get us promoted", then he's wrong. Clearly MFC would say the latter.
 
In the Summer of 2019 we brought in Djksteel, Bola and Browne whose combined wages would be less than half of what Downing was on. Stewart did not present value. He knows that, his agent knows that, his dad knows that, every Boro fan knows that.

Why didn't SD's agent insist on a signed contract for 2019/20 when the waiver was torn up? How many agents nowadays operate contracts on shaking hands? This suggests to me any contract was dependent on promotion.

As said loved SD in his first spell, probably my fav Boro player in that period, but a new contract can't be based on what he did in the 2004-2009 period.
 
Hes sounds like a very bitter ex pro. He never looked happy in his second spell with anything, under any manager issue after issue but never his fault. A real shame he was a sublime footballer first time round.
 
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