Keith Downing

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Jon Palmer
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Joined: 13 Feb 2010, 20:19
Looking back at that dramatic win over Doncaster Rovers, a decade on, as well as discussing his current role with England: http://bit.ly/DowningDecadeOn" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Si Robin
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Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 10:29
Great read JP - I think that Donny games often gets overlooked in our recent history, but the atmosphere that day was immense. Paul Connor's goal may well be the most mental I've gone at Whaddon Road. We were such heavy underdogs that day as well - such a great day.
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
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Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
If anyone overlooks it they are a fool. Probably the most ridiculous game I have ever attended. A miracle. We were absolutely battered.

I still cannot understand how we won the game.

If anything is overlooked in the excitement and memory of that match is the absolutely abominable run of form during the previous ten games that resulted us having to win that game. Had we gone down Downing would have to had been remembered as a catastrophe who through away league one status when safety was all but guaranteed.
Si Robin
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Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 10:29
5 defeats, 3 wins and 2 draws is not that all that remarkable for a team struggling in the League.

4 of those 5 defeats were away from home, and we only lost 2 home games in 2008 before the Doncaster game.

I'm not going to call Downing a great manager, he clearly wasn't, but he took over a team that had won twice all season and looked to be going down with a whimper and managed to keep us up, including the magical double over Leeds. Did he get some luck in that spell, absolutely, but all managers need a bit of luck. He certainly wasn't a catastrophe.
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Horteng
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Joined: 25 Nov 2009, 22:57
Location: Heart of the Forest, Glos
Interesting but awfully written JP
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
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Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
Si Robin wrote:5 defeats, 3 wins and 2 draws is not that all that remarkable for a team struggling in the League.

4 of those 5 defeats were away from home, and we only lost 2 home games in 2008 before the Doncaster game.

I'm not going to call Downing a great manager, he clearly wasn't, but he took over a team that had won twice all season and looked to be going down with a whimper and managed to keep us up, including the magical double over Leeds. Did he get some luck in that spell, absolutely, but all managers need a bit of luck. He certainly wasn't a catastrophe.
Thanks for correcting my mis-remembering!

We lost four in a row before Doncaster, so it must be that I am recalling. Including 3-1 at Crewe, who ended up closing to within a point of us.
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Lord Elpuz
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Joined: 20 Jul 2011, 19:35
Superb interview Mr Palmer. Thank you. Extremely relevant, with the anniversary of that tremendously exciting game v Doncaster, and Mr Downing’s involvement with England at the forthcoming World Cup.

It was very interesting to read the actual insights into what was happening at the Club back in 2008. I always felt that Keith Downing had not been given long enough in the role of Manager, but I do recall him looking like he was taking on all the stress at the time.

It was probably the case that football agents were gaining more of a foothold on lower league players back in 2008, as I recall our suspicions at the time that Cheltenham Town were being used as bait by unscupulous agents to get better deals for their clients at other clubs, and Keith was being made a lot of false promises, which must have been soul destroying for him.

I’m pleased he rebuilt his reputation because he is a superb and highly respected coach and an absolute gentleman.
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