Greg Downs

Position
Defender
Nationality
Place Of Birth
Carlton
Date Of Birth
December 13, 1958
Age
66
Height (cm)
175
Games Played
182
-
Per Game
Games Started
177
1.0
Per Game
Minutes
15957
87.7
Per Game
Goals
7
0.04
Per Game
Assists
4
0.02
Per Game
Notes
Stats
Matches
Transfers
Gallery
Internationals

FA Cup winner 1987

When Norwich City full-back Greg Downs was left out of the Canaries’ League Cup final team for the game against Sunderland in 1985 he must have thought his chances of appearing at Wembley’s famous old stadium had passed him by. Two years later Greg achieved his ambition of appearing in a major final – in a Sky Blue shirt.
Greg spent ten years at Norwich joining as an apprentice in March 1975 and made 206 appearances for the Canaries. Being dropped for the final convinced him he had to move on and that summer he joined Coventry City in a bargain £40,000 deal.
Originally a striker, he was converted to a full-back by Norwich reserve team coach Mel Machin. He had happy memories of Highfield Road before his move. In 1980 he scored the winning goal in Norwich’s first win at the ground for over forty years, a 25-yard volley which Norwich fans voted goal of the season.
City signed him as a replacement for Stuart Pearce and Greg suffered considerable barracking from the fans in his early days but overcame the ‘boo-boys’ with his enthusiasm and humour. At Wembley in 1987 he was given a torrid time by Chris Waddle in the first half but recovered to control the England winger in the rest of the game.
On two occasions he lost his first team place, first to Nick Pickering, then later to Tony Dobson, but both times bounced back to regain his place. He was finally released in 1990 and joined Birmingham City. However his spell at St Andrews lasted just 17 games before he joining his former City manager John Sillett at Hereford as player-coach.
After Sillet’s departure from Hereford in 1992 Greg took over and was player-manager himself for two years, playing 134 games until he was sacked in 1994. Subsequently he played non-league soccer for Kettering, Merthyr Tydfil, Raunds Town, Redditch, Worcester City, Forest Green, Bridgnorth and Great Yarmouth Town.
In 1997 Greg became a policeman in the Norfolk seaside town of Gorleston but continued playing part-time soccer around Norfolk and played alongside his son Gareth for Mulbarton United.
He later moved to Norwich's Bethell Street station but he couldn't keep away from football - in 2003 he was assistant manager at Dereham Town and at the age of 46 turned out for North Walsham Town.

Penalties (2 - both scored)
1987-88
21 November 1987 v Charlton Athletic A, scored
2 March 1988 v Reading A, shootout, scored

Free kick goals (2)
1986-87
10 January 1987 v Bolton Wanderers H
28 February 1987 v Charlton Athletic H

Football League First Division (England)
1989-1990
Coventry City
17
16
1
1471′
4
1
1988-1989
Coventry City
22
20
2
1793′
4
1987-1988
Coventry City
27
27
2356′
3
2 (1)
1
1986-1987
Coventry City
39
39
3457′
2
2 (0)
1
1985-1986
Coventry City
41
40
1
3568′
4
146
142
4
12645′
17
0
0
4 (1)
3
0
League Cup (England)
1989-1990
Coventry City
5
5
450′
1 (0)
1
1988-1989
Coventry City
3
3
235′
1 (0)
1987-1988
Coventry City
3
2
1
257′
1986-1987
Coventry City
5
5
450′
1985-1986
Coventry City
4
4
360′
20
19
1
1752′
0
0
0
2 (0)
1
0
FA Cup (England)
1989-1990
Coventry City
1
1
90′
1
1987-1988
Coventry City
2
2
180′
1986-1987
Coventry City
6
6
600′
1 (0)
9
9
0
870′
1
0
0
1 (0)
0
0
Full Members Cup (England)
1989-1990
Coventry City
1
1
120′
1987-1988
Coventry City
3
3
300′
1986-1987
Coventry City
1
1
90′
1985-1986
Coventry City
1
1
90′
1
6
6
0
600′
1
0
0
0 (0)
0
0
Charity Shield (England)
1987-1988
Coventry City
1
1
90′
1
1
0
90′
0
0
0
0 (0)
0
0
Totals:
182
177
5
15957′
19
0
0
7 (1)
4
0
Date
For
Against
H/A
Result
Barclays Football League First Division 1989-1990
Barclays Football League First Division 1989-1990
Coventry City
Norwich City
A
D 0:0
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
A
W 2:4
Coventry City
Luton Town
A
L 3:2
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
H
W 2:0
Coventry City
Millwall
H
W 3:1
90`
Coventry City
Chelsea
H
W 3:2
90`
Coventry City
Crystal Palace
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Derby County
A
L 4:1
90`
Coventry City
Queens Park Rangers
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Wimbledon
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Everton
A
L 2:0
90`
Coventry City
Norwich City
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Southampton
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
A
W 0:1
90`
1
Coventry City
Charlton Athletic
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
H
L 1:4
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
H
L 0:2
31`
Coventry City
Sheffield Wednesday
A
D 0:0
90`
Littlewoods Challenge Cup 1989-1990
Littlewoods Challenge Cup 1989-1990
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Sunderland
H
W 5:0
90`
1
Coventry City
Queens Park Rangers
A
W 1:2
90`
1
Coventry City
Grimsby Town
H
W 3:0
90`
FA Cup 1989-1990
FA Cup 1989-1990
Coventry City
Northampton Town
A
L 1:0
90`
Zenith Data Systems Cup 1989-1990
Zenith Data Systems Cup 1989-1990
Coventry City
Wimbledon
H
L 1:3
120`
Barclays Football League First Division 1988-1989
Barclays Football League First Division 1988-1989
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
H
D 2:2
8`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
A
D 1:1
Coventry City
Manchester United
A
W 0:1
Coventry City
Queens Park Rangers
H
L 0:3
33`
Coventry City
Luton Town
A
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
West Ham United
A
D 1:1
Coventry City
Arsenal
H
W 1:0
Coventry City
Everton
A
L 3:1
45`
Coventry City
Southampton
A
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Derby County
H
L 0:2
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Queens Park Rangers
A
L 2:1
87`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Luton Town
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
West Ham United
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
A
L 2:0
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Millwall
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Newcastle United
A
W 0:3
90`
Coventry City
Middlesbrough
H
L 3:4
90`
Coventry City
Wimbledon
A
W 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Charlton Athletic
H
W 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Sheffield Wednesday
A
W 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Everton
H
L 0:1
90`
Littlewoods Challenge Cup 1988-1989
Littlewoods Challenge Cup 1988-1989
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
A
L 3:2
90`
Coventry City
AFC Bournemouth
H
W 3:1
55`
Coventry City
AFC Bournemouth
A
W 0:4
90`
1
Barclays Football League First Division 1987-1988
Barclays Football League First Division 1987-1988
Coventry City
Queens Park Rangers
H
D 0:0
Coventry City
Arsenal
A
D 1:1
Coventry City
Portsmouth
H
W 1:0
Coventry City
Derby County
H
L 0:3
90`
Coventry City
Luton Town
H
W 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Southampton
A
W 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Chelsea
H
D 3:3
90`
Coventry City
Watford
A
W 0:1
90`
1
Coventry City
Norwich City
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Sheffield Wednesday
H
W 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
A
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
A
L 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
A
L 4:1
90`
Coventry City
Queens Park Rangers
A
W 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Portsmouth
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
West Ham United
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Charlton Athletic
A
D 2:2
90`
1
Coventry City
Wimbledon
H
D 3:3
90`
Coventry City
Oxford United
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Derby County
A
L 2:0
90`
Coventry City
Newcastle United
H
L 1:3
90`
Coventry City
Southampton
H
L 2:3
Coventry City
Chelsea
A
L 1:0
Coventry City
Watford
H
W 1:0
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
H
L 0:3
61`
Coventry City
Manchester United
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Sheffield Wednesday
A
W 0:3
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
H
L 1:4
45`
Coventry City
Norwich City
A
L 3:1
90`
Coventry City
Luton Town
A
W 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
H
W 2:1
90`
1
Simod Cup 1987-1988
Simod Cup 1987-1988
Coventry City
Reading
A
D 1:1
120`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
H
W 2:0
90`
Coventry City
Wimbledon
H
W 2:1
90`
FA Cup 1987-1988
FA Cup 1987-1988
Coventry City
Watford
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Torquay United
H
W 2:0
90`
Littlewoods Challenge Cup 1987-1988
Littlewoods Challenge Cup 1987-1988
Coventry City
Luton Town
A
L 3:1
90`
Coventry City
Cambridge United
H
W 2:1
77`
Coventry City
Cambridge United
A
W 0:1
90`
FA Charity Shield 1987-1988
FA Charity Shield 1987-1988
Coventry City
Everton
H
L 0:1
90`
FA Cup 1986-1987
FA Cup 1986-1987
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
H
W 3:2
120`
Coventry City
Leeds United
H
W 3:2
120`
Coventry City
Sheffield Wednesday
A
W 1:3
90`
Coventry City
Stoke City
A
W 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
A
W 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Bolton Wanderers
H
W 3:0
90`
1
Today Football League First Division 1986-1987
Today Football League First Division 1986-1987
Coventry City
Southampton
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Leicester City
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Watford
A
W 2:3
90`
1
Coventry City
Norwich City
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Queens Park Rangers
H
W 4:1
90`
Coventry City
Luton Town
A
L 2:0
68`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Wimbledon
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Oxford United
H
W 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Sheffield Wednesday
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Charlton Athletic
H
W 2:1
90`
1
Coventry City
Chelsea
H
W 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Everton
A
L 3:1
90`
Coventry City
Southampton
A
L 2:0
90`
Coventry City
West Ham United
H
L 1:3
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Newcastle United
A
W 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
H
W 4:3
59`
Coventry City
Queens Park Rangers
A
L 3:1
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
H
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Leicester City
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
A
L 2:0
90`
Coventry City
Norwich City
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Sheffield Wednesday
A
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Wimbledon
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Watford
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Charlton Athletic
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Newcastle United
H
W 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
A
W 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Chelsea
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Everton
H
D 1:1
90`
1
Coventry City
Arsenal
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
West Ham United
A
L 1:0
90`
Littlewoods Challenge Cup 1986-1987
Littlewoods Challenge Cup 1986-1987
Coventry City
Liverpool
A
L 3:1
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Oldham Athletic
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Rotherham United
A
W 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Rotherham United
H
W 3:2
90`
Full Members Cup 1986-1987
Full Members Cup 1986-1987
Coventry City
Norwich City
A
L 2:1
90`
Canon League First Division 1985-1986
Canon League First Division 1985-1986
Coventry City
Queens Park Rangers
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
West Ham United
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Luton Town
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
A
L 5:0
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
H
L 1:3
74`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Sheffield Wednesday
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Leicester City
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Southampton
H
W 3:2
90`
Coventry City
Birmingham City
H
D 4:4
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
A
W 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Newcastle United
A
L 3:2
90`
Coventry City
Oxford United
A
W 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Watford
H
L 0:2
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
H
D 3:3
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
A
L 5:2
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Everton
H
L 1:3
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
A
L 5:1
90`
Coventry City
Chelsea
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Queens Park Rangers
A
W 0:2
90`
Coventry City
West Ham United
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Luton Town
A
W 0:1
1`
Coventry City
Liverpool
H
L 0:3
73`
Coventry City
Manchester United
A
L 2:0
90`
Coventry City
Birmingham City
A
W 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
H
L 2:3
90`
Coventry City
Sheffield Wednesday
A
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Leicester City
H
W 3:0
90`
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
H
W 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Southampton
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
H
L 0:2
90`
Coventry City
Oxford United
H
W 5:2
90`
Coventry City
Watford
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Newcastle United
H
L 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Everton
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Chelsea
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
H
D 1:1
90`
Milk Cup 1985-1986
Milk Cup 1985-1986
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
A
L 3:2
90`
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Chester City
H
W 7:2
90`
Coventry City
Chester City
A
W 1:2
90`
Full Members Cup 1985-1986
Full Members Cup 1985-1986
Coventry City
Stoke City
A
L 3:0
90`
Club Out
Club In
Transfer Date
Fee
Club Out / Club In
Transfer Date / Fee
Coventry City
Birmingham City
Thu, 02 Aug, 1990
Coventry City
Birmingham City
Thu, 02 Aug, 1990
Norwich City
Coventry City
Thu, 01 Aug, 1985
Norwich City
Coventry City
Thu, 01 Aug, 1985