Stewart Downing facts for kids
Downing training with Middlesbrough in 2016
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 22 July 1984 | ||
| Place of birth | Middlesbrough, England | ||
| Height | 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) | ||
| Playing position | Wing Midfield, attacking midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2001 | Middlesbrough | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2001–2009 | Middlesbrough | 181 | (17) |
| 2003 | → Sunderland (loan) | 7 | (3) |
| 2009–2011 | Aston Villa | 63 | (9) |
| 2011–2013 | Liverpool | 65 | (3) |
| 2013–2015 | West Ham United | 69 | (7) |
| 2015–2019 | Middlesbrough | 153 | (9) |
| 2019–2021 | Blackburn Rovers | 59 | (2) |
| Total | 597 | (50) | |
| National team | |||
| 2001 | England U16 | 2 | (0) |
| 2002 | England U18 | 3 | (0) |
| 2002–2003 | England U19 | 7 | (0) |
| 2004–2005 | England U21 | 8 | (0) |
| 2007 | England B | 1 | (2) |
| 2005–2014 | England | 35 | (0) |
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Stewart Downing (born 22 July 1984) is a former English footballer. He mostly played as a winger. A winger is a player who plays on the sides of the field. As of 2024, he helps coach the Leeds United Under 21s team.
Downing started his career at Middlesbrough. He helped them win the League Cup in 2004. He also helped them reach the UEFA Cup final in 2006. After Middlesbrough was relegated in 2009, he joined Aston Villa.
Later, he moved to Liverpool in 2011. There, he won the League Cup again in 2012. He then played for West Ham United for two seasons. After that, he went back to Middlesbrough and helped them get promoted to the Premier League.
In 2019, he left Middlesbrough after playing 404 games for them. He then signed with Blackburn Rovers. Stewart Downing played for the England national team from 2005 to 2014. He played 35 games for England. He was part of the teams that reached the quarter-finals in the 2006 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012. He stopped playing football professionally in August 2021.
Contents
Stewart Downing's Football Journey
Early Days at Middlesbrough
Stewart Downing was born in Middlesbrough, England. He grew up playing football in the Middlesbrough Academy. He signed his first professional contract on 6 September 2001.
His first game was on 24 April 2002. It was a Premier League match against Ipswich Town. He played the whole game, but his team lost 1–0. In his first two seasons, he only played a few games.
Stewart scored his first goal on 1 October 2002. It was in a League Cup game against Brentford. Middlesbrough won that game 4–1.
Loan to Sunderland
On 30 October 2003, Downing joined Sunderland on a one-month loan. Sunderland was in the First Division at the time. He scored three goals in seven games for Sunderland. His first goal for them was on 4 November in a 3–1 win against Gillingham.
Middlesbrough called him back early on 11 December. This was because another player, Juninho, was injured. Downing then became a regular player for Middlesbrough. He was on the bench when Middlesbrough won the League Cup Final in 2004. They beat Bolton Wanderers.
Becoming a Key Player
In the 2004–05 season, Downing played 49 games and scored six goals. He also set up many goals for his teammates. He played very well in a UEFA Cup match against Lazio in November 2004. His good performances led to him being called up to the England squad in February 2005.
He had a knee injury in late 2005. This kept him out of action for five months. But he came back to help Middlesbrough reach the UEFA Cup Final in 2006. He made three assists in the semi-final win against Steaua București. Middlesbrough lost 4–0 to Sevilla in the final.
On 26 February 2008, Downing signed a new five-year contract with Middlesbrough. This kept him at the club until 2013. In the 2008–09 season, Middlesbrough started well. But then they had a long period without winning. This caused them to fall into the relegation zone.
On 5 January 2009, he asked to leave the club. But his request was turned down. In May 2009, he got a foot injury during a game against Aston Villa. This injury needed surgery and kept him out for at least four months. Middlesbrough was relegated from the Premier League at the end of that season. Downing had started almost every league game that season.
Time at Aston Villa
After Middlesbrough was relegated, Downing joined Aston Villa. He signed a four-year contract. The transfer fee was about £10 million. On 7 November 2009, it was announced that Downing was back in full training after his injury.
He made his Aston Villa debut against Burnley. He came on as a substitute in that game. He scored his first goal for Villa on 1 December 2009. It was in a League Cup game against Portsmouth.
Downing played a key role in Villa's 1–0 win at Old Trafford against Manchester United. This was Villa's first win there since 1983. He scored his first two league goals for Villa in a 5–2 win against Burnley on 2 February 2010.
His second season at Aston Villa was much better. He scored the first Premier League goal of the season for Villa. This was in a 3–0 win against West Ham United on 14 August. In the 2010–11 season, Downing played 44 games and scored eight goals.
Liverpool showed interest in signing Downing. On 6 July, Liverpool offered £15 million for him. But Aston Villa rejected this offer. They said they wanted at least £20 million. On 13 July 2011, the two clubs agreed on a transfer fee.
Playing for Liverpool
Downing officially joined Liverpool on 15 July 2011. The fee was reported to be around £20 million. He made his debut for Liverpool on 13 August 2011. It was a 1–1 draw against Sunderland at Anfield. He played the full 90 minutes.
On 6 January 2012, Downing scored his first goal for Liverpool. It was in an FA Cup game against Oldham Athletic. On 26 February, he won the League Cup with Liverpool. He scored his penalty in the shootout. He also won the Alan Hardaker Trophy as the best player in the match.
On 18 March 2012, he scored the winning goal in a 2–1 win against Stoke City. This was in the FA Cup quarter-final. It secured another trip to Wembley for Liverpool.
In the 2012–13 season, Downing scored the winning goal in Liverpool's first game. It was a UEFA Europa League match against Gomel. On 30 August 2012, he played as a left back against Hearts. He scored the only goal against Anzhi Makhachkala in the Europa League.
On 22 December, he made his first league assist and scored his first league goal. This was in a 4–0 win against Fulham. He scored his second league goal on 2 March 2013. It was a header in a 4–0 win against Wigan Athletic. In Liverpool's next game, Downing scored the equalizing goal against Tottenham Hotspur. Liverpool won that game 3–2. This was his fifth goal of the season and his last for Liverpool.
Time at West Ham United
On 13 August 2013, Downing signed a four-year contract with West Ham United. The fee was reported to be around £5 million. He made his debut for West Ham on 17 August 2013. He came on as a substitute in a 2–0 win against Cardiff City.
Downing scored his first goal for West Ham on 3 May 2014. It was in a 2–0 home win against Tottenham Hotspur. In the 2014–15 season, he scored his first goal against Crystal Palace in a 3–1 away win.
He continued to play well for West Ham. On 1 November 2014, Downing scored against Stoke City in a 2–2 away draw. West Ham came back from two goals down to draw. A week later, he scored against Leicester City. West Ham won that game 2–0.
Return to Middlesbrough
On 16 July 2015, Downing returned to his first club, Middlesbrough. He signed a four-year contract. The fee was reported to be around £5.5 million. His first game back was on 9 August 2015. It was a 0–0 draw against Preston North End.
On 12 September 2015, he scored his first goal in his second time at the club. It was in a 2–0 win over Milton Keynes Dons. Middlesbrough won promotion to the Premier League on the last day of the season. They drew 1–1 with Brighton & Hove Albion and finished as runners-up.
In January 2017, Middlesbrough said they would let Downing leave on loan. This was because he was not playing regularly. But no move happened, and he stayed at the club. Middlesbrough was relegated back to the Championship that season.
After relegation, the new manager told Downing he could leave. But Downing soon got his place back in the team. He was one of four players released by Middlesbrough at the end of the 2018–19 season. He had played a total of 404 games for Middlesbrough in his two spells.
Time at Blackburn Rovers
Downing signed for Championship club Blackburn Rovers on 21 June 2019. He signed a one-year contract. He scored his first goal for Blackburn on 13 August. It was in an EFL Cup game against Oldham Athletic, which Blackburn won 3–2.
He played in almost every game during the 2019–20 season. His contract ended on 24 June 2020, and he left the club. However, Downing signed a new contract with Blackburn in November of that year. He left the club again at the end of his contract after the 2020–21 season. After leaving, Downing said he was thinking about his future in football. He said he would "probably" retire, which he did in August 2021.
Playing for England
Stewart Downing was first called up to play for England when he was 19. This was for the 2003 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. He had played seven games for the under-21 team.
He made his debut for the senior England team on 9 February 2005. It was a friendly game against the Netherlands. He came on as a substitute in the second half.
In May 2005, Downing got injured during an England training session. This kept him out of action until 2006. But he was still chosen for England's World Cup squad in May 2006. He came on as a substitute in England's first game against Paraguay. He also played against Trinidad and Tobago.
On 16 August 2006, Downing started his first game for England. England beat Greece 4–0. Downing was involved in three of the goals. He also started the next three Euro 2008 qualifying games.
He was chosen again by manager Fabio Capello on 26 March 2008. This was for a friendly game against France. Capello was very impressed with Downing. He was chosen again for friendly games against the United States and Trinidad and Tobago. He helped set up the first two goals in those games.
Downing was chosen again for the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier against Montenegro on 12 October 2010. During his second season with Aston Villa, he started playing for England more often under Capello.
After moving to Liverpool, he played in two qualifying games. England won 3–0 against Bulgaria and 1–0 against Wales. He provided the assist for the only goal against Wales. He also played in friendly wins against Spain and Sweden.
On 16 May 2012, new England manager Roy Hodgson named Downing in his squad for UEFA Euro 2012. He started in a 1–0 win against Norway on 26 May. This was Hodgson's first game as England manager. Downing did not play any games during UEFA Euro 2012. He was called back to the England squad in November 2014. This was for games against Slovenia and Scotland.
Personal Life and Interests
Stewart Downing has helped with many charity projects. He supports the "No Messin'" campaign. This campaign warns young people about the dangers of playing on railway lines.
Downing was made the honorary president of Middlesbrough Futsal Club in December 2007. In his free time, Downing has been a DJ. He has played music at nightclubs in Middlesbrough and even in Ibiza.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Middlesbrough | 2001–02 | Premier League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | |
| 2002–03 | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 3 | 1 | ||
| 2003–04 | Premier League | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 24 | 0 | ||
| 2004–05 | Premier League | 35 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 48 | 6 | |
| 2005–06 | Premier League | 12 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 26 | 1 | |
| 2006–07 | Premier League | 34 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 42 | 2 | ||
| 2007–08 | Premier League | 38 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 45 | 10 | ||
| 2008–09 | Premier League | 37 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 43 | 2 | ||
| Total | 181 | 17 | 27 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 234 | 22 | ||
| Sunderland (loan) | 2003–04 | First Division | 7 | 3 | — | — | — | 7 | 3 | |||
| Aston Villa | 2009–10 | Premier League | 25 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 3 |
| 2010–11 | Premier League | 38 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 8 | |
| Total | 63 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 79 | 11 | ||
| Liverpool | 2011–12 | Premier League | 36 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | 46 | 2 | |
| 2012–13 | Premier League | 29 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 45 | 5 | |
| Total | 65 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 91 | 7 | ||
| West Ham United | 2013–14 | Premier League | 32 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 37 | 1 | |
| 2014–15 | Premier League | 37 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 42 | 6 | ||
| Total | 69 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 79 | 7 | |||
| Middlesbrough | 2015–16 | Championship | 45 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 49 | 3 | |
| 2016–17 | Premier League | 30 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 34 | 2 | ||
| 2017–18 | Championship | 40 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 47 | 3 | |
| 2018–19 | Championship | 38 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 40 | 2 | ||
| Total | 153 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 170 | 10 | ||
| Blackburn Rovers | 2019–20 | Championship | 41 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 43 | 3 | |
| 2020–21 | Championship | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 19 | 0 | ||
| Total | 59 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 62 | 3 | |||
| Career total | 597 | 50 | 57 | 6 | 35 | 4 | 33 | 3 | 722 | 63 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Competitive | Friendly | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| England | 2005 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2006 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2007 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2008 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 17 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 35 | 0 | |
Awards and Achievements
Stewart Downing won several awards and helped his teams achieve success:
- Middlesbrough
- Football League Cup: 2003–04
- UEFA Cup runner-up: 2005–06
- Football League Championship runner-up: 2015–16 (meaning they finished second and were promoted)
- Aston Villa
- Football League Cup runner-up: 2009–10
- Liverpool
- Football League Cup: 2011–12
- FA Cup runner-up: 2011–12
- Individual Awards
- North-East FWA Player of the Year: 2005
- Alan Hardaker Trophy: 2012 (awarded to the Man of the Match in the League Cup Final)
- Aston Villa Player of the Season: 2010–11
- Middlesbrough Player of the Year: 2004–05
- Middlesbrough Young Player of the Year: 2003–04
See also
In Spanish: Stewart Downing para niños
