Dickie Downs
Encyclopedia
John Thomas "Dickie" Downs was a footballer who played for Barnsley
and Everton
. He was a Full Back
against Newcastle but lost after forcing a replay. He won a FA Cup
winners medal in 1912
when Barnsley beat West Bromwich Albion
in another replay after the first match ended goalless. The Manchester Guardian, when reporting on both 1912 matches, selected him as one of the better players on the pitch.
Downs' career was broken by the first world war but he returned to Oakwell in 1919 and yet again proved an annoyance to West Bromwich Albion in 1920 when Barnsley knocked them out of the F A cup.
By now Downs was thirty-three years of age and his performances in the cup alerted the top flight clubs that he was still good enough to play at the highest level. Downs had rejected many offers to step up during his career in the hope of gaining promotion with Barnsley but when Everton
approached him after Barnsley's second round cup exit at the end of January 1920 he recognised it as his last chance and accepted a move to the First Division. Downs was an ever present in his first full season at Goodison Park
and went on to make ninety-two First Division appearances over five years but by 1923 he was finding it increasingly difficult to get into the first eleven and accepted an offer to step down into the third division with Brighton
in a Home Championship
game against Ireland on the 23 October 1920 at Roker Park
. England won 2-0.
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
and Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
. He was a Full Back
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
Club career
Dickie Downs played for Barnsley between 1909 & 1912 and was a member of the team who contested the 1910 FA Cup Final1910 FA Cup Final
The 1910 FA Cup Final was the 39th FA Cup final. It was contested by Barnsley and Newcastle United. It took two matches to determine a winner. The first took place at Crystal Palace in south London on 23 April 1910 and the second on 28 April at Goodison Park in Liverpool.-Barnsley:Home teams listed...
against Newcastle but lost after forcing a replay. He won a FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
winners medal in 1912
1912 FA Cup Final
The 1912 FA Cup Final was the 41st FA Cup final. It was contested by Barnsley and West Bromwich Albion. It took two matches to determine a winner...
when Barnsley beat West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
in another replay after the first match ended goalless. The Manchester Guardian, when reporting on both 1912 matches, selected him as one of the better players on the pitch.
Downs' career was broken by the first world war but he returned to Oakwell in 1919 and yet again proved an annoyance to West Bromwich Albion in 1920 when Barnsley knocked them out of the F A cup.
By now Downs was thirty-three years of age and his performances in the cup alerted the top flight clubs that he was still good enough to play at the highest level. Downs had rejected many offers to step up during his career in the hope of gaining promotion with Barnsley but when Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
approached him after Barnsley's second round cup exit at the end of January 1920 he recognised it as his last chance and accepted a move to the First Division. Downs was an ever present in his first full season at Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
and went on to make ninety-two First Division appearances over five years but by 1923 he was finding it increasingly difficult to get into the first eleven and accepted an offer to step down into the third division with Brighton
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
International career
Downs' first season among the elite clubs was a success and brought him to the attention of the International selectors playing for EnglandEngland national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
in a Home Championship
British Home Championship
The British Home Championship was an annual football competition contested between the United Kingdom's four national teams, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from the 1883–84 season until the 1983–84...
game against Ireland on the 23 October 1920 at Roker Park
Roker Park
Roker Park was an English football stadium situated in Roker, Sunderland. The stadium was the home of the English football club Sunderland A.F.C. from 1897 to 1997 before the club moved to the Stadium of Light. Near the end of the stadium's history, its capacity was around 22,500 with only a small...
. England won 2-0.
Honours
BarnsleyBarnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
: Runner Up 19101910 FA Cup FinalThe 1910 FA Cup Final was the 39th FA Cup final. It was contested by Barnsley and Newcastle United. It took two matches to determine a winner. The first took place at Crystal Palace in south London on 23 April 1910 and the second on 28 April at Goodison Park in Liverpool.-Barnsley:Home teams listed... - FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
: Winners 19121912 FA Cup FinalThe 1912 FA Cup Final was the 41st FA Cup final. It was contested by Barnsley and West Bromwich Albion. It took two matches to determine a winner...