Derrick Downing

R

Rishworthian

Well-known member
Long time a go Derrick Downing played on the left wing for the Boro - long before Stewie for our younger fans

I'd always believed we signed him from Frickley Colliery I'd had a look in Who's Who and it confirms that and says that he played for Donny Juniors

Would anyone know if he was signed as a junior or was he a senior by the time he got here.
 
My understanding was he was signed from Frickley. Not aware of the Doncaster connection, but possible.
 
Blf said:
One of my favourite players when I was a kid.
It's a little known fact that he scored with a diving header in every game he played in. Although I can't find any info anywhere to back this up other than my memories of him.
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Scored from a diving header away at Carlisle in the FA cup. Not sure of the year, round about 67 i think.
 
Blf said:
One of my favourite players when I was a kid.
It's a little known fact that he scored with a diving header in every game he played in. Although I can't find any info anywhere to back this up other than my memories of him.
Click to expand...
Think I remember him getting one against Bristol City, possibly in a night match.


EDIT: Found it. Tuesday night match. Diving header was in to the Holgate End.

www.11v11.com

Middlesbrough v Bristol City, 03 December 1968

11v11 football match report for Middlesbrough v Bristol City, League Division Two 1969 , 03 December 1968
www.11v11.com
 
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Blf said:
One of my favourite players when I was a kid.
It's a little known fact that he scored with a diving header in every game he played in. Although I can't find any info anywhere to back this up other than my memories of him.
Click to expand...
This is true. And Hugh McIlmoyle could literally hang in the air.
 
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He was sold to Orient (cheaply imo) and they converted him to a sweeper. I remember a whole page article in the Times by Brian Glanville. At last an English team playing the 'catenaccio' system. This was Glanville's obsession. He would sometimes write a whole column in Italian.
I can't think of another instance of a winger converting to central defence.
 
Anton_Berg said:
He was sold to Orient (cheaply imo) and they converted him to a sweeper. I remember a whole page article in the Times by Brian Glanville. At last an English team playing the 'catenaccio' system. This was Glanville's obsession. He would sometimes write a whole column in Italian.
I can't think of another instance of a winger converting to central defence.
Click to expand...
I seem to remember that Orient were featured on Match of the Day after this (Orient! Match of the Day! - very Seventies) and the pundits (Jimmy Hill probably) were raving about Downing. Or have I just made that up? So hard to tell with memories these days....
 
WindyNook said:
Big John got the other one in a 2-1win . 27599 packed inside Brunton Park. I was a tight squeeze!
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I was at that game with my parents and younger brother. Memory isn't as good as it was but it was that packed I think the fence went down near where we were stood,( could have been a different game but I'm pretty sure it was this one ). I can remember getting a bit panicky.
 
Blf said:
I was at that game with my parents and younger brother. Memory isn't as good as it was but it was that packed I think the fence went down near where we were stood,( could have been a different game but I'm pretty sure it was this one ). I can remember getting a bit panicky.
Click to expand...
Yes that's right. The end we were at was just an earth bank behind the goal- no terracing there if I remember rightly.
 
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