| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1965-01-09)9 January 1965 (age 60) | ||
| Place of birth | Hatfield,Hertfordshire, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[1] | ||
| Position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Southampton | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1983–1985 | Cheshunt | 34 | (2) |
| 1985–1986 | St Albans City | 53 | (13) |
| 1986–1988 | Hendon | 87 | (47) |
| 1988–1991 | Luton Town | 66 | (15) |
| 1989 | →Fulham (loan) | 5 | (1) |
| 1991 | West Ham United | 12 | (4) |
| 1991–1995 | Southampton | 122 | (30) |
| 1995 | Crystal Palace | 19 | (6) |
| 1995–1998 | West Ham United | 68 | (8) |
| 1998–2001 | Queens Park Rangers | 31 | (2) |
| Total | 497 | (128) | |
| International career | |||
| 1990–1999 | Northern Ireland | 59 | (12) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1998 | Queens Park Rangers (caretaker) | ||
| 2002–2003 | Oldham Athletic | ||
| 2003–2006 | Crystal Palace | ||
| 2006 | Charlton Athletic | ||
| 2007–2008 | Coventry City | ||
| 2008 | Queens Park Rangers | ||
| 2010 | Hull City | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Iain Dowie (born 9 January 1965) is afootball manager, former professional footballer and sports television pundit.
He played as astriker from 1983 until 2001, notably in thePremier League forSouthampton,Crystal Palace andWest Ham United. He earned 59 caps forNorthern Ireland, scoring 12 goals. He also played in theFootball League forLuton Town,Fulham andQueens Park Rangers, and in Non-league forCheshunt,St Albans City andHendon.
After retiring from playing he went on to manageOldham Athletic,Crystal Palace,Charlton Athletic,Coventry City,Queens Park Rangers before joiningHull City in a football management consultant. He has since worked as a pundit largely forSky Sports.
Born inHatfield,Hertfordshire, Dowie was rejected bySouthampton aged 16 and later went to theUniversity of Hertfordshire to study for aMEng degree inengineering. On completion he became an employee ofBritish Aerospace, whilst keeping up football atnon-League level playing forCheshunt alongside his brother Bob. He left Cheshunt to improve his fitness and signed forSt Albans City, then moved on toHendon. While playing for Hendon, Dowie was spotted byLuton Town who signed him in the1988–89 season, when they were in theFirst Division. He then moved in quick succession toFulham (a briefloan spell), before establishing himself as afirst team player in the1989–90 season when his eight goals in 29 league games helped Luton finish seventeenth.[2]
On 22 March 1991, with Luton still in the First Division and Dowie still a first team regular with seven goals from 29 games that season, Dowie agreed to joinSecond Divisionpromotion chasersWest Ham United for afee of £480,000. He proved himself to be a competent deputy for the injuredTrevor Morley as his four goals in the final 12 league games of the season secured the team's promotion as Second Division runners-up. But when the1991–92 season began, Morley had returned to fitness and Dowie found himself on the sidelines until his £500,000 move toSouthampton on 3 September 1991 after less than six months atUpton Park.
He played alongsideAlan Shearer andMatthew Le Tissier – two of the country's highest regarded strikers in the early 1990s – and scored nine goals in 30 league games to ensure that the team finished high enough for a place in the newly formedFA Premier League. His good form continued in the1992–93 season, despite the loss of Shearer, as he scored 11 league goals. His tally dropped to five goals in 39 games during the1993–94 season, though the club avoided relegation again, and he managed another five goals from 17 league games in the1994–95 season before managerAlan Ball decided that he wanted younger partners for Le Tissier in attack, signingGordon Watson andNeil Shipperley while droppingCraig Maskell and selling Dowie toCrystal Palace for £400,000 on 13 January 1995.
His spell at Palace was a frustrating one; he was cup-tied for theLeague Cup semi-finals againstLiverpool,[3] and Palace reached theFA Cup semi-finals where they lost toManchester United after a replay. Lastly, despite a dynamic fightback after being three goals down toNewcastle United on the final day of the season, they still lost 3–2 and were relegated from the Premier League one season after promotion.[4]
He then spent nearly three years back at West Ham. During his time back at West Ham, he came under fire from the supporters for going long periods without scoring at a time when the team were struggling for goals and had a crisis in attack. In fact, Dowie is probably best remembered by West Ham fans for scoring a bizarre headedown goal in an infamous defeat toStockport County in theLeague Cup in front of the live Sky cameras at Edgeley Park.[5] Dowie then moved across London toQueens Park Rangers (QPR), where he ended his days playing indefence, and beingplayer-manager of QPR'sreserve team. Dowie also had a brief spell ascaretaker manager of QPR in the autumn of 1998, between the dismissal ofRay Harford and appointment ofGerry Francis.[2]
Dowie's father was born inBelfast,[1] thus qualifying him to play forNorthern Ireland, for whom Dowie gained 59caps and scored 12 goals.[6]
After retirement from playing, Dowie then became assistant manager ofOldham Athletic. However, following the dismissal of managerMick Wadsworth, Dowie became manager and led the club into theSecond Division play-offs in the2002–03 season after spending heavily. However, financial trouble hit Oldham and Dowie lost much of his first team squad. Funds were so hard for the club at the time that Dowie along with the remaining members of the squad were not paid for several months. Dowie tried to stick out the post for as long as possible until he decided to move on citing the need to support his family as a reason.[citation needed]
On 21 December 2003, Dowie was appointed manager of Crystal Palace, inheriting a squad with low morale and occupying 19th place in Division One. However, under his leadership, the club went on an impressive run that included 17 wins from 23 games after he took over, until the end of the season, enabling the club to finish in sixth place in the First Division, just scraping into the play-off places. This feat was attributed to complete change in the atmosphere and training regime at the club, including a tougher disciplinary regime, introduced by Dowie.[7] After beatingSunderland in the semi-final, on apenalty shootout, the club beat Dowie's former club West Ham by a single goal in the Final for a place in the FA Premier League. Dowie's squad contained some promising footballers, including Andrew Johnson. Dowie made a couple of signings to the Crystal Palace squad: he signed goalkeeperGabor Kiraly to challengeJulián Speroni for the number 1 top. Kiraly was first choice throughout the season. The club lasted only one season there, being relegated on the final day of the season whenCharlton Athletic scored a late equaliser in a 2–2 draw.
He remained at Palace when the club was relegated to theChampionship despite rumours that he was approached by other Premier League clubs to take over.[citation needed] The only actual report of a club approaching Palace to speak to Dowie was whenPortsmouth chairmanMilan Mandarić approached PalacechairmanSimon Jordan to speak to Dowie, in November 2005. Jordan refused this approach, and for the meantime Dowie remained atSelhurst Park.[citation needed]
After losing the play-off semi final to eventual winnersWatford, Dowie left Crystal Palace by "mutual consent" on 22 May 2006 following discussions with chairman Jordan.[8] He had been allowed to leave without compensation being paid to Crystal Palace as he had wanted to be nearer to his family inBolton.[9] Jordan was infuriated when just eight days later, on 30 May 2006, Premier League club Charlton unveiled Dowie as their new manager.[9]
Jordan then issued Dowie with a writ, claiming that he had misled him about his reasons for leaving Crystal Palace.[10] Dowie, however, insisted this was not the case, and was publicly backed by both Charlton Chief Executive Peter Varney, who branded the writ "a sad and pathetic publicity stunt", and chairmanRichard Murray, who was adamant that his legal team could find no grounds for the writ to be upheld, and suggested that there may be more personal reasons behind the writ being issued.[11] The case was heard in theLondon High Court in the summer of 2007, and on 14 JuneThe Hon. Mr Justice Tugendhat ruled that Dowie had "deceived" Jordan and made "false representations" in conversations with Crystal Palace on 20 and 22 May, stating he had had no contact with Charlton when he had in fact spoken to them on 17 and 22 May.[9] Dowie was ordered to pay Palace's legal bill, estimated at up to £400,000 and a similar amount to his own legal team in addition to compensation due to Crystal Palace.[12] In 2008 an out-of-court agreement between Dowie and Crystal Palace was reached "on terms acceptable to Crystal Palace Football Club".[13]
When Dowie took over at the Valley, he was given more money than any previous manager to spend on players. He signedJimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, andScott Carson on loan, but was unable to prevent the team suffering a disastrous start to the Premier League season.[14] Despite this, the team reached the quarter-final of the League Cup for the first time in their history. However, Dowie was unable to lift the team away from the relegation zone of the Premier League and build on the success of former managerAlan Curbishley, resulting in him and the club parting company on 13 November 2006, after just 15 games in charge.[15]
Soon after his departure from Charlton, in December 2006, he was linked with the vacant managers job atHull City, but he turned down the position.[16]
Dowie was unveiled asCoventry City manager on 19 February 2007.[17] He found immediate success at the club with a number of wins but towards the end of the season their form dropped off and the Sky Blues finished 17th in the Championship table.
On 29 August, Dowie was linked with the vacant manager's position atLeicester City following the dismissal ofMartin Allen. Coventry City dismissed claims that an approach was made and that any approach would be "firmly rebuffed".[18] These rumours renewed again on 24 October whenGary Megson left Leicester to manageBolton Wanderers. Dowie refused to comment on the speculation.[19] On 11 February 2008, Dowie was released from his contract as Coventry manager,[20] which was officially cited as being due to significant differences of opinion between the management team and the Board as to how the club should be going forward.[21]
On 14 May 2008, Queens Park Rangers appointed Dowie as their new first team coach following the previous week's departure ofLuigi de Canio.[22] He was sacked as manager of QPR after just 15 games in charge on 24 October, with the team in ninth position in the league.[23]
On 1 April 2009,Newcastle United appointed Alan Shearer as manager until the end of the season, with Dowie being appointed to his coaching staff.[24]
Dowie was named as the temporary "Football Management Consultant" of Premier League teamHull City on 17 March 2010,[25] after managerPhil Brown was placed ongardening leave.[26] He was faced with the challenge of guiding theYorkshire club to Premier League safety in order to secure them a third season in the top flight; however, the challenge was effectively ended on 24 April 2010 when Hull were beaten 1–0 at home by Sunderland[27] and fellow relegation battlers West Ham United (a club that Dowie served twice as a player) won their game 3–2 against a Wigan Athletic side still faced with an outside chance of relegation.[28] Hull City were relegated on 3 May 2010 after an injury time equaliser fromWigan Athletic'sSteve Gohouri made their game 2–2, ending Hull's hopes of survival with one game to go.[29]
Dowie worked as a commentator forSky Sports News.
His nieceNatasha Dowie is an international footballer who played forCharlton Athletic Women while he was manager of the men's team.[citation needed] Dowie has two sons, Oliver and William.[30] Dowie's brother, Bob, was a semi-professional footballer and manager and worked alongside Iain as Director of Football at Crystal Palace.[31]
In March 2016, Dowie was employed as Regional Sales Manager for "Go To Surveys".[32]
He coined the word 'bouncebackability' which entered theOxford English Dictionary in 2005.[33]
Dowie suffered a cardiac arrest in March 2024 during an exercise class inChorley.[34]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| St Albans City | ||||||||||||
| 1984–85[35] | Isthmian Division 1 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 3 | |||
| 1985–86[36] | Isthmian Division 1 | 29 | 9 | 0 | 0 | — | 4[a] | 1 | 33 | 10 | ||
| 1986–87[37] | Isthmian Premier | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 3[b] | 1 | 15 | 2 | ||
| Total | 53 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 61 | 15 | ||
| Hendon | ||||||||||||
| 1986–87[38] | Isthmian Premier | 31 | 17 | 0 | 0 | — | 15[c] | 6 | 46 | 23 | ||
| 1987–88[39] | Isthmian Premier | 39 | 19 | 2 | 0 | — | 15[d] | 9 | 56 | 28 | ||
| 1988–89[40] | Isthmian Premier | 17 | 11 | 6 | 10 | — | 7[e] | 6 | 30 | 27 | ||
| Total | 87 | 47 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 21 | 132 | 78 | ||
| Luton Town | ||||||||||||
| 1988–89[41] | First Division | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[f] | 1 | 10 | 1 | |
| 1989–90[41] | First Division | 29 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[f] | 3 | 33 | 11 | |
| 1990–91[41] | First Division | 29 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2[f] | 0 | 35 | 7 | |
| Total | 66 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 78 | 19 | ||
| Fulham (loan) | 1989–90[42] | Third Division | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 1 | |
| West Ham United | 1990–91[42] | Second Division | 12 | 4 | — | — | — | 12 | 4 | |||
| Southampton | ||||||||||||
| 1991–92[42] | First Division | 30 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4[f] | 0 | 42 | 9 | |
| 1992–93[42] | Premier League | 36 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 38 | 12 | ||
| 1993–94[42] | Premier League | 39 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 43 | 6 | ||
| 1994–95[42] | Premier League | 17 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 20 | 5 | ||
| Total | 122 | 30 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 143 | 32 | ||
| Crystal Palace | ||||||||||||
| 1994–95[43] | Premier League | 15 | 4 | 6 | 4 | — | — | 21 | 8 | |||
| 1995–96[42] | First Division | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 2 | ||
| Total | 19 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 10 | ||
| West Ham United | ||||||||||||
| 1995–96[44] | Premier League | 33 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 39 | 9 | ||
| 1996–97[45] | Premier League | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | — | 28 | 2 | ||
| 1997–98[46] | Premier League | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 16 | 0 | ||
| Total | 68 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 83 | 11 | ||
| Queens Park Rangers | ||||||||||||
| 1997–98[46] | First Division | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 11 | 1 | ||
| 1998–99[47] | First Division | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 21 | 1 | ||
| 1999–2000[48] | First Division | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2000–01[49] | First Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| Total | 31 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 2 | ||
| Career total | 463 | 126 | 30 | 16 | 27 | 3 | 53 | 27 | 573 | 172 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Ireland | 1990 | 5 | 0 |
| 1991 | 5 | 1 | |
| 1992 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1993 | 8 | 1 | |
| 1994 | 6 | 1 | |
| 1995 | 7 | 5 | |
| 1996 | 6 | 2 | |
| 1997 | 6 | 1 | |
| 1998 | 6 | 1 | |
| 1999 | 7 | 0 | |
| Total | 59 | 12 | |
Scores and results list Northern Ireland's goal tally first.[50]
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 October 1991 | Belfast, Northern Ireland |  Austria | 1–0 | 2–1 | UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying |
| 2 | 25 May 1993 | Vilnius,Lithuania |  Lithuania | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 20 April 1994 | Belfast, Northern Ireland |  Liechtenstein | 4–0 | 4–1 | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 4 | 29 March 1995 | Dublin, Ireland |  Republic of Ireland | 1–0 | 1–1 | UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying |
| 5 | 26 April 1995 | Riga,Latvia |  Latvia | 1–0 | 1–0 | UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying |
| 6 | 25 May 1995 | Edmonton, Canada |  Chile | 1–0 | 1–2 | Friendly match |
| 7 | 7 June 1995 | Belfast, Northern Ireland | Latvia | 1–0 | 1–2 | UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying |
| 8 | 15 November 1995 | Belfast, Northern Ireland | Austria | 2–0 | 5–3 | UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying |
| 9 | 14 December 1996 | Belfast, Northern Ireland |  Albania | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 10 | 14 December 1996 | Belfast, Northern Ireland | Albania | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 11 | 2 April 1997 | Kyiv,Ukraine |  Ukraine | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 12 | 18 November 1998 | Belfast, Northern Ireland |  Moldova | 1–1 | 2–2 | UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying |
| Team | Nation | From | To | Matches | Won | Drawn | Lost | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queens Park Rangers (caretaker) |  England | 28 September 1998 | 16 October 1998 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 050.00 |
| Oldham Athletic | England | 31 May 2002 | 19 December 2003 | 82 | 31 | 28 | 23 | 037.80 |
| Crystal Palace | England | 22 December 2003 | 22 May 2006 | 123 | 50 | 29 | 44 | 040.65 |
| Charlton Athletic | England | 30 May 2006 | 13 November 2006 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 026.67 |
| Coventry City | England | 19 February 2007 | 11 February 2008 | 49 | 20 | 8 | 21 | 040.82 |
| Queens Park Rangers | England | 14 May 2008 | 24 October 2008 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 053.33 |
| Hull City | England | 17 March 2010 | 9 May 2010 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 011.11 |
| Total | 295 | 115 | 74 | 106 | 038.98 | |||
