Sheffield Wednesday head of recruitment David Downes has reportedly agreed on a deal to become sporting director at Championship side Blackpool, according to Football Insider.
Despite their current Championship status, the side will be playing League One football next season as they approach their final game of the season six points behind safety.
Downes has been with the Owls since 2019, where he joined up with Steve Bruce, who departed five months later for Newcastle United.
Time with the Owls.
Downes joined the club in 2019 from Aston Villa, who he had been with since 2014 focusing on youth recruitment and finding players for the academy at Villa Park.
However, upon joining the Yorkshire club, he began a much more important role, leading the club’s recruitment side, which has been instrumental since their relegation from the Championship.Â
Joining up with Blackpool.
Downes will be taking over from Chris Badlan, who lasted just four months in the role after departing from Coventry City, with no reason given for Badlan’s exit, the news comes as a shock to many.
Badlan was highly rated in his role at Coventry, credited with signing key players such as Viktor Gyokeres and Callum O’Hare.
After two seasons back in the Championship, Blackpool have suffered relegation to the third tier and will be playing League One football next season.
Ahead of their final game of the season, they sit three points behind Reading who are three points off of safety themselves.
Difficult season at Sheffield Wednesday.
It has been an up-and-down season for Sheffield Wednesday, who are battling for a promotion which many thought they had already secured.
The Owls were top of the table before a run of six games without a win saw them fall behind Plymouth and Ipswich.
And now, despite picking up 93 points, the club sit third and will have to go through a playoff campaign to secure promotion back to the Championship.
What’s been said?
It has been said by Pete O’Rourke that Downes has agreed upon a deal to become sporting director at Blackpool as they look to begin their rebuild and work their way back to promotion.
Downes makes the switch to Bloomfield Road after almost four years with the club as he leaves his position to become part of a new project.
Writers View
Following their relegation, everyone at Bloomfield Road will be looking to bounce back and make a statement next season.
With that being said, it is unclear what the recruitment plan will be for the club, but nothing will be set in stone and expectations may be high of Downes.
For the Owls, they will have to focus on filling this gap in their staff as soon as they can, no matter where they are next season and it may be difficult to replace someone who has done as much as much for the club as Downes.
