Stewart Downing: Former Middlesbrough winger enjoying academy coach role

Stewart Downing's experience of England and top-tier football gives him plenty to draw on

Former Middlesbrough and England winger Stewart Downing is enjoying passing on his career experience while working with the under-15s and under-16s age group players at his hometown club.

Downing, 38, scored 32 goals in 403 games for Boro, and lists Liverpool and Aston Villa among his old clubs.

He was offered chance to work with ex-Hibs defender Rob Jones in the academy.

"I did my Uefa A licence, so I thought I might as well put it to some use," Downing told BBC Radio Tees.

"I bumped into Craig Liddle at the game, and he suggested I come in and give it a try and if I liked it, great he'd get me involved.

"I've loved it, the 15s and 16s are a good group, the lads have been told they're going into full-time football next year so it's serious football for them now. It's about winning, improving and getting better.

"I've been given quite a bit of responsibility, along with Rob who's also there. Sometimes I'm on my own and sometimes with him working, it's all learning isn't it?"

Having retired with Blackburn as recently as the end of the 2020-21 season, 19 years after his debut for Boro, Downing is able to draw on recent hands-on experience of the professional game.

In addition to his time at top-tier clubs and at international level, it is the shared experience of coming through the ranks at the Riverside that really helps him empathise with the youngsters he works with.

And, just as it is for the teenagers at their start of their playing careers, the same applies for Downing in his coaching career.

"I am passing on my experiences, giving them things they can bring into their game, you can relate to those lads," he continued.

"Whether it's a lack of confidence, or they're not playing well, we've been in those situations and can tell them how to get through it.

"I like to pass on those things, because young lads do go through difficult times and it's not always rosy, we try to show them that they need to fight on.

"Then for me on the other side it's about learning the sessions. What do the players need from it? What are we trying to get out of it? What does Rob want from me?

"It's all new for me and I'm probably learning as much as the young players are."