Peter Downsborough
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Peter Downsborough | ||
Date of birth | 13 September 1943 | ||
Place of birth | Halifax, England | ||
Date of death | 26 September 2019 | (aged 76)||
Position(s) |
Goalkeeper | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1960–1965 | Halifax Town | 148 | (0) |
1965–1973 | Swindon Town | 274 | (0) |
1973 |
→ Brighton and Hove Albion (loan) | 3 | (0) |
1974–1978 | Bradford City | 225 | (0) |
Total | 650 | (0) | |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Peter Downsborough (13 September 1943 – 26 September 2019) was a
Career
A centre forward as a schoolboy, he transferred into the role of goalkeeper after deputising for an injured teammate during a school match.[2]
Downsborough made his League debut for his local side
He made his Swindon debut in the first game of the 1965/66 season, keeping a clean sheet against local rivals
With his assistance, Swindon made it to the
"for quarter of an hour it was Downsborough versus Arsenal and Downsborough won."[2] Geoffrey Green - The Times
"During the 90 minutes even the most die-hard Swindon fans would have agreed we deserved an equaliser, We hit the woodwork and Peter Downsborough was just unbelievable. I had quite a lot of saves to make but not like he had."
Bob Wilson- Arsenal goalkeeper
"Downsborough was absolutely unbelievable that day and saved just about everything we threw at him."[4] Frank McLintock - Arsenal centre-half
"On the occasions they did find gaps in the Town rearguard, their efforts were not good enough to beat goalkeeper Downsborough, who was in superb form. Time and again he leapt out to punch away dangerous corner kicks, and two of his saves from direct shots were breathtaking"[5] Clive King - Swindon Advertiser
An error in the 86th minute of the game saw Arsenal equalise through a Bobby Gould header, Downsborough attempted to clear the ball from the edge of the penalty area only to kick it against the Arsenal player and launch the ball into the air. Gould calmly followed the ball's progress and scored easily.
"It was my fault. I take the blame for it. I started to come off my line and then stopped. As the ball came to me I was late on it and kicked it straight at Bobby's foot. I was on the floor, the ball rebounded over my head and left Bobby with an easy header into the empty net. I remember wishing that the ground would open up and swallow me. I thought to myself that the one mistake could have cost us the League Cup. After all that hard work in 90 minutes of football it could have been my one moment of madness that cost Swindon the trophy. I could not believe that I had done a thing like that."[6] Peter Downsborough
Swindon beat
He asked to be placed on the transfer list in 1972 believing that players such as himself who had been at the club a long time were not being rewarded as well as newcomers.
He was transferred to
In 1999, he had returned to his home town of Halifax and was working as a school caretaker.[3][6]
He died on 26 September 2019 at the age of 76.[7]
On 12 October 2019, before a
Honours
Swindon Town FC
- League Cup: 1969
- Anglo-Italian League Cup: 1969
- Anglo-Italian Cup:1970
Individual
- Swindon Town F.C Player of the Year: 1969
References
- ^ "Peter Downsborough, the Bradford City keeper with the knack of saving penalties". Bradford Telegraph and Argus.
- ^ ISBN 0-7524-2714-8.
- ^ a b c d "Town heroes 30 years on". Heroes of 69. Swindon Advertiser. 1999. Archived from the original on 19 June 2006. Retrieved 11 January 2007.
- ^ a b "We owe it all to Swindon". Heroes of 69. Evening Advertiser. Archived from the original on 19 June 2006. Retrieved 11 January 2007.
- ^ Clive King (1969). "How Adver man Clive reported the action". Heroes of 69. Swindon Advertiser. Archived from the original on 19 June 2006. Retrieved 11 January 2007.
- ^ a b "A goalkeeping hero". Heroes of 69. Swindon Advertiser. 1999. Archived from the original on 19 June 2006. Retrieved 11 January 2007.
- ^ Meynell, Johnny (29 September 2019). "Rest in Peace Peter". Halifax Town F.C. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
- ^ Errington, Chris (12 October 2019). "Swindon vs Plymouth Argyle". Plymouth Herald. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
External links
- Peter Downsborough at Soccerbase
- Player Profile - Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk