Simon Downer is an English

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 footballer who currently plays for Sutton United

Sutton United F.C.

Sutton United Football Club is an English football club currently playing in the Conference South. They are based in Sutton, London, and play their home games at the Borough Sports Ground in Gander Green Lane....

.

Club career

Downer's previous clubs include Leyton Orient

Leyton Orient F.C.

Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...

, Aldershot Town

Aldershot Town F.C.

Aldershot Town Football Club is an association football club based in Aldershot, Hampshire, England, founded in the spring of 1992 just after the closure of debt-ridden Fourth Division club Aldershot Football Club...

 (loan), Weymouth

Weymouth F.C.

Weymouth F.C. are an English football club based in the town of Weymouth, who currently play in the Southern League Premier Division.-History:Weymouth Football Club were founded in 1890 and played their first game on 24 September of that year...

, Grays Athletic

Grays Athletic F.C.

Grays Athletic Football Club is an English football club currently based in Corringham, Essex after leaving the New Recreation Ground in Grays at the end of the 2009–10 season...

, Wivenhoe Town

Wivenhoe Town F.C.

Wivenhoe Town F.C. is an English football club based in Wivenhoe, Essex. The club are currently members of the Eastern Counties League Premier Division and play at Broad Lane.-History:...

, Rushden and Diamonds and Sutton United

Sutton United F.C.

Sutton United Football Club is an English football club currently playing in the Conference South. They are based in Sutton, London, and play their home games at the Borough Sports Ground in Gander Green Lane....

. He plays in the centre-back or right-back position.

Having played for the West Ham youth academy

West Ham United F.C.

West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...

, Downer, who at the time was playing for Leyton Orient, went on trial with Newcastle United. However, Bobby Robson

Bobby Robson

Sir Robert William "Bobby" Robson, CBE was an English footballer and manager, who coached seven European clubs and the England national team during his career....

 decided against signing the 19-year-old Downer, as he had a recurring problem with his left knee that needed a operation. This has hampered his career and he, at one point, retired from football. In between his 'retirement', Downer worked as a bricklayer

Construction worker

A construction worker or builder is a professional, tradesman, or labourer who directly participates in the physical construction of infrastructure.-Construction trades:...

.

On 26 May 2009, Downer signed a one year contract to remain at Rushden & Diamonds for the duration of the 2009–10 season. During the close-season after, he decided not to renew his contract offered and signed with Sutton United

Sutton United F.C.

Sutton United Football Club is an English football club currently playing in the Conference South. They are based in Sutton, London, and play their home games at the Borough Sports Ground in Gander Green Lane....

, with whom he won the Isthmian League Premier Division at the end of the 2010–11 season.

External links