Greg Downs

{{Short description|English footballer and manager (born 1958)}}

{{For|the American writer|Greg Downs (writer)}}

{{Use British English|date=August 2013}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Greg Downs

| fullname =

| height = 5 ft 9 in{{cite book |title=Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88 |editor-first=Peter |editor-last=Dunk |publisher=Queen Anne Press |location=London |date=1987 |page=138 |isbn=978-0-356-14354-5}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|12|13|df=y}}

| birth_place = Carlton, England

| position = Full back

| years1 = 1976–1985

| years2 = 1977

| years3 = 1977

| years4 = 1985–1990

| years5 = 1990–1991

| years6 = 1991–1994

| years7 = 1994

| years8 = 1994

| years9 = 1994

| years10 = 1994–1995

| years11 = 1995

| years12 = 1995–1996

| years13 = 1996?

| years14 = 1997?

| years15 = 1997

| years16 = 1997–2001

| years17 = 2001–2002

| years18 = 2002–2003

| years19 = 2003

| years20 = 2003–2004

| clubs1 = Norwich City

| clubs2 = → Connecticut Bicentennials (loan)

| clubs3 = → Torquay United (loan)

| clubs4 = Coventry City

| clubs5 = Birmingham City

| clubs6 = Hereford United

| clubs7 = Raunds Town

| clubs8 = Kettering Town

| clubs9 = Redditch United

| clubs10 = Merthyr Tydfil

| clubs11 = Worcester City

| clubs12 = Forest Green Rovers

| clubs13 = Bridgnorth Town

| clubs14 = Malvern Town

| clubs15 = Merthyr Tydfil

| clubs16 = Great Yarmouth Town

| clubs17 = Mulbarton United

| clubs18 = Blofield United

| clubs19 = Dereham Town

| clubs20 = North Walsham Town

| caps1 = 169

| caps2 = 16

| caps3 = 1

| caps4 = 146

| caps5 = 17

| caps6 = 108

| caps7 =

| caps8 = 0

| caps9 =

| caps10 = 8

| goals1 = 8

| goals2 = 1

| goals3 = 1

| goals4 = 4

| goals5 = 0

| goals6 = 2

| goals7 =

| goals8 = 0

| goals9 =

| goals10 = 0

| totalcaps = 457

| totalgoals = 16

| manageryears1 = 1992–1994

| managerclubs1 = Hereford United

}}

Gregory Downs (born 13 December 1958) is an English former professional footballer. Originally a centre-forward, he switched to left full-back early in his career.

Downs began his career with Norwich City where he was player of the year in 1982, the year they won promotion to the First Division a year after relegation.

He remained at Carrow Road until 1985, when moved to Coventry City where he won an FA Cup winner's medal in the 1987 final, where they achieved a surprise 3–2 win over Tottenham Hotspur. He spent five years at Highfield Road, playing 146 league games and scoring four goals.

On leaving in 1990, he dropped down to the Third Division to sign for Birmingham City, playing 17 times in the disappointing 1990–91 campaign where the Blues recorded their lowest ever finish of 13th place. He was then signed by Hereford United, who had appointed former Coventry boss John Sillett as manager for the 1991–92 season. Sillett left Edgar Street after one disappointing season in charge, and Downs was appointed player-manager in his place, an arrangement which lasted for two seasons until he was succeeded by John Layton. In three seasons at the Bulls, he played 108 times in the league's basement division, scoring twice.

After retiring from professional football in 1995, Downs joined the police. However, he continued playing non-league football into his mid forties.

In 2006, he joined Wroxham as assistant to player-manager Damian Hilton.{{cite web |url=http://www.blues.premiumtv.co.uk/page/WhereAreTheyNowDetail/0,,10412~1028351,00.html |title=Greg Downs |publisher=Birmingham City F.C. |access-date=29 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070919205907/http://www.blues.premiumtv.co.uk/page/WhereAreTheyNowDetail/0,,10412~1028351,00.html |archive-date=19 September 2007 |url-status=dead }} The pair resigned in November 2007;{{cite web |url=http://www.wroxhamfc.com/news.php?storyid=1170 |title=Management Team Step Down |publisher=Wroxham F.C. |date=15 November 2007 |access-date=29 November 2008}} though Hilton had second thoughts and was re-appointed manager, Downs left the club.{{cite news |url=http://new.edp24.co.uk/content/sport/story.aspx?brand=EDPOnline&category=Sport&tBrand=EDPOnline&tCategory=Sport&itemid=NOED30%20Nov%202007%2008%3A14%3A59%3A150 |title=Hilton U-turn over manager's job |work=Eastern Daily Press |date=30 November 2007 |access-date=29 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071206051153/http://new.edp24.co.uk/content/sport/story.aspx?brand=EDPOnline&category=Sport&tBrand=EDPOnline&tCategory=Sport&itemid=NOED30%20Nov%202007%2008%3A14%3A59%3A150 |archive-date=6 December 2007 |url-status=dead }}