Downing

[Eziozi’s Ghost]

Agree with that.
Always felt that the cavalier spirit was crushed by coaches prioritising ball retention.
Probably a player that would have shone in an era - even just ten years previously.
Look how Rippers got a Premier League winners medal with, I dare say, less natural talent.

Mmmm, but Ripley had Shearer and Sutton to aim at too.
Proper strikers.

 

[sambaDTR]

Just thing what Warnock could do with him now?

 

[Sheriff_John_Bunnell_ret]

Downings best spell second time round was under monk.

 

[BoroMart]

Downing is a technical player, Ripley was a physical player. Very different ways to play on the wing. Ripley was much less able to bring the best out of other players....and I say that as an enormous fan of Rippers

 

[Badonde]

I'd like to see Rippers in this team.
Then again we'd need strikers who could get on the end of his crosses.
Downing better technically perhaps? But always remember Rippers getting his head down and delivering crosses into the box

 

[Badonde]

Downing is a technical player, Ripley was a physical player. Very different ways to play on the wing. Ripley was much less able to bring the best out of other players....and I say that as an enormous fan of Rippers

Hah.....our messages crossed...just how I remember him

 

[Jedi boro]

His cross for Jimmy in Rome was a truly thing of beauty.

 

[tripleheader]

That doesn’t matter, he’s local, that’s what matters. Doesn’t it?

Being local will keep the fans on your side for how long though.
Of course we would want him as a manager providing he proves himself first that he has talent in that regard, away from the club. Even Brian Clough knew this.

 

[JM14]

Another fine moment from Gibson signing him for the second time. Wonder how much easier that season would have been if he just let the manager sign who he wanted with such a high amount of money.


Must be one of our worst signings financially, and there has been alot

 

[festa5]

nonsense, he made enough tackles for his position

Hence the winky smiley. Comment made in jest given his reputation amongst some of our fans. I agree, he fulfilled the defensive responsibilities of the position just fine.

 

[SilentProf]

Nowt to do with our slow play. Tomlin did well. Ramirez did well. Adomah did well. Nsue was more of an attacking threat than downing. He was just poor in his second spell.

I’m not saying he should take no blame but it had everything to do with the lack of movement of players around him. Time and time again he would look for the out ball and the only one available was backwards to a defender. His game was never about pace or taking the man on, which meant he needed teammates to make runs or at least get into positions to receive the ball in forward areas. Particularly as he started to slow down with age.

 

[coluka]

I still can't get over the stupid terms of the contract his agent negotiated and Gibson agreed to. Nor the length of time it took him to waive that term when we were more aware of how financially in the cart we were. I don't blame him, but I also haven't forgotten how AK managed his contract by benching him for periods and maybe 'managing that term' or he would have reached that number sooner. It was daft bringing him back when AK did not want him. He enjoyed a good wage and long contract but was very poor value 2nd time around.

 

[Sheriff_John_Bunnell_ret]

Doe

I’m not saying he should take no blame but it had everything to do with the lack of movement of players around him. Time and time again he would look for the out ball and the only one available was backwards to a defender. His game was never about pace or taking the man on, which meant he needed teammates to make runs or at least get into positions to receive the ball in forward areas. Particularly as he started to slow down with age.

And Tomlin and Ramirez had no problems finding outlets.

 

[ForssAwakens]

Another player judged on fee/contract rather than performances

a lot of confirmation bias. I’m not going to state why downing was actual good 2nd time around. I’ve tried on numerous occasions and falls on deaf ears

 

[1finny]

Another player judged on fee/contract rather than performances

a lot of confirmation bias. I’m not going to state why downing was actual good 2nd time around. I’ve tried on numerous occasions and falls on deaf ears

Does confirmation bias only work with other people

 

[BoroMart]

Another player judged on fee/contract rather than performances

a lot of confirmation bias. I’m not going to state why downing was actual good 2nd time around. I’ve tried on numerous occasions and falls on deaf ears

He was a consistent 7 every week, people were expecting 9s from him. That's an expectation issue rather than a performance one. He put plenty of good balls into the box, plenty of good passes. He probably would have been more successful if we had played Stuani at CF and then not sold him

 

[TheYorkshireTerrier]

Still a free agent despite making 40 appearances for a championship side last season. Hasn't officially retired has he?

Wonder if he just doesn't want to step down to League 1/2, as he must have had offers?

 

[indeedido]

Another fine moment from Gibson signing him for the second time. Wonder how much easier that season would have been if he just let the manager sign who he wanted with such a high amount of money.


Must be one of our worst signings financially, and there has been alot

I would remind some people that Stewart Downing generated a £12m profit when sold to Aston Villa.
In reality the cost of his career at Boro overall was buttons and for one of the best players we've had and the best we have produced.
His second spell was in parts disappointing, but he played a significant part in promotion.
The lad deserves our affection, gratitude and respect.

For worst signings financially, I give you:
Rudy Gestede. £6m fee, no resale, huge wages and nothing at all in return.
Mido. £6m+ fee, no resale, huge wages and nothing in return but contempt.
Guedioura. £4.75m fee, no resale, wages and absolutely nothing.
Britt Assombolonga. £15m+ fee, no resale, massive wages and half hearted waddling.

We lost £4m plus wages on Digard, £5m plus wages on Alves, £4.5m plus wages on Gascoigne, Over £4m plus wages on O'Neil, Over £4m plus wages on Karembeu.
Michael Ricketts, Jordan Hugill, Kevin Thomson, Hoyte were all horrendous value for money.

We even lost £10m plus wages on Maccarrone, but at least we got those priceless UEFA glory goals.

Downing is a Boro legend. If he is not, then I'm not sure who should be.

(All my figures are from transfermarkt.com)

 

[JM14]

I would remind some people that Stewart Downing generated a £12m profit when sold to Aston Villa.
In reality the cost of his career at Boro overall was buttons and for one of the best players we've had and the best we have produced.
His second spell was in parts disappointing, but he played a significant part in promotion.
The lad deserves our affection, gratitude and respect.

For worst signings financially, I give you:
Rudy Gestede. £6m fee, no resale, huge wages and nothing at all in return.
Mido. £6m+ fee, no resale, huge wages and nothing in return but contempt.
Guedioura. £4.75m fee, no resale, wages and absolutely nothing.
Britt Assombolonga. £15m+ fee, no resale, massive wages and half hearted waddling.

We lost £4m plus wages on Digard, £5m plus wages on Alves, £4.5m plus wages on Gascoigne, Over £4m plus wages on O'Neil, Over £4m plus wages on Karembeu.
Michael Ricketts, Jordan Hugill, Kevin Thomson, Hoyte were all horrendous value for money.

We even lost £10m plus wages on Maccarrone, but at least we got those priceless UEFA glory goals.

Downing is a Boro legend. If he is not, then I'm not sure who should be.

(All my figures are from transfermarkt.com)

Regardless of his first spell, his second spell was a complete failure. 7 Million for a 30+ winger with zero sell on value on the highest wages at the club is just as bad if not worse than those other signings that you mentioned. 3 Goals and 5 assists in the promotion season hardly suggest playing a significant part in promotion either. Sure we could have got another player who would have contributed those sort of figures for significantly less

 

[indeedido]

Regardless of his first spell, his second spell was a complete failure. 7 Million for a 30+ winger with zero sell on value on the highest wages at the club is just as bad if not worse than those other signings that you mentioned. 3 Goals and 5 assists in the promotion season hardly suggest playing a significant part in promotion either. Sure we could have got another player who would have contributed those sort of figures for significantly less

He played 45 times in a team that went up; only the goalkeeper played more. He played a significant part in our promotion. Our top scorer that season got 8 league goals.

You seem to be part of a gang who only want to ever stick the boot into him.
Gibson shouldn't have signed him on the terms he did, but to say he was a complete failure is highly unfair.