'I knew my time at Liverpool was up after manager's decision – it was my lowest point'

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I was out of the team so for me just to play and get back in the team was a big thing."At left-back it was obviously difficult, but it was a chance to get back into the team for me, so I had to go along with it. I wasn't happy playing left-back.

But I knew from then it was the time for me to move.READ MORE: Man Utd and Liverpool avoid breaches as PSR status of every Premier League club emergesREAD MORE: Florian Wirtz to Real Madrid transfer wish revealed by agent after Florentino Perez talks"I was getting signals other players were coming in, and I was getting used at left-back when I was a winger. I wasn't a regular in the team at Liverpool.

I was in and out, I had a difficult spell there."In 2022, Downing insisted that he was happy to play under Dalglish and lamented the Liverpool legend's dismissal by club chiefs, despite the Kop Icon winning the League Cup and reaching the FA Cup final in 2012.He said: "He was unbelievable to play for, Kenny, and I was sad that he left after only one year because I think he should have been given at least another season."I played in a legends game at Anfield recently and it was the first time I've seen him for a whilst and he hasn't changed since when I first met him. I was sick with all the messing around and I decided to leave, but looking back I should have given it another year."Following a two-season spell with West Ham, Downing, now 41, headed back to Middlesbrough, where his professional journey had started.