Rovers have rounded off their transfer window with their 12th signing of the transfer window as Paul Downing joins the club on a season-long loan deal from fellow League One side MK Dons.
The centre-back is a player well known to manager Tony Mowbray, who promoted Downing to the West Bromwich Albion’s first team in the 2008-09 season. During his spell at the Baggies, Downing spent a majority of it out on loan in League Two for Hereford United, Shrewsbury Town & Barnet, the latter of which where he made 26 appearances for The Bees.
Once his contract at West Brom expired, Downing dropped down to League One and signed for Walsall on a free transfer where he made his name as a solid third tier centre-half as his Walsall side finished 3rd in 2015-16 and narrowly missed out on the promotion to the Championship. Additionally, the defender played at Wembley for The Saddlers in the Checkatrade Trophy Final, which he lost to a Bristol City side that contained fellow Rover Derrick Williams.
Following his contract expiring at Walsall, MK Dons snapped him up and he became a fixture of the side under former manager Karl Robinson following the Dons’ relegation from the Championship in 2016. However once Robinson departed the Dons’, Downing saw opportunities hard to come by allowing him to subsequently sign for Rovers on loan.
Despite his lack of appearances in recent times, Rovers fans will be hoping that once Darragh Lenihan returns to fitness, he, Downing and Charlie Mulgrew will be able to create a much needed defensive selection headache for Tony Mowbray as a result of the depth that has now been acquired at the back.
